Nigeria’s victorious Under-17 women’s football team, the Flamingos, has received a N100 million pledge from the Senate, with lawmakers challenging the Federal Government to provide matching rewards in recognition of their achievement.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced the pledge during plenary while responding to a motion sponsored by Senator Abdul Ningi, who called for adequate recognition and compensation for the players.
“From the National Assembly, even if we do not have anything else to give these children, we will make a token of N100 million to them immediately,” Akpabio said.
The lawmakers described the team’s achievement as deserving of national recognition, particularly given the disappointments recorded by some of Nigeria’s other national football teams.
Moving the motion, Ningi praised the Flamingos for their remarkable performance, noting that the team had been assembled barely six months before the competition.
He said their success had given Nigerians a reason to celebrate while bringing honour to the country and Africa.
However, he criticised what he described as inadequate publicity and official recognition of the players, particularly the absence of senior government officials when they returned to Nigeria.
Supporting the motion, Senator Ned Nwoko described the players as national heroes, commending their performances against established football nations, including Brazil and the United States.
He called on President Bola Tinubu to accord the team national recognition and urged state governors to celebrate players from their respective states.
Another senator also praised the Flamingos’ victory over Japan, describing it as evidence of the ability of Nigerian youths to compete at the highest international level.
Beyond financial rewards, the Senate urged the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to keep the players together to preserve their team understanding and prepare them for future international competitions.
Akpabio warned against allowing the team to disintegrate, stressing that sustained development could help the players grow into a formidable senior national side.
He also appealed to wealthy Nigerians and business leaders to support the team with additional incentives.
The lawmakers commended President Tinubu and the National Sports Commission (NSC), particularly its chairman, Malam Shehu Dikko, for their contributions to sports development.
They subsequently congratulated the Flamingos, the Federal Government, the NFF and Nigerians on the team’s achievement.
Akpabio directed the Clerk of the Senate to document the resolutions and contributions made during the debate.
The Senate’s pledge adds to the growing list of rewards announced for the team following its historic achievement of winning Africa’s first-ever Under-17 Women’s World Cup title.
Shortly after the final whistle confirmed Nigeria’s triumph in Morocco, one of the team’s supporters, Alhaji Saleh Ahmadu, donated $50,000 to the players.
Ahmadu announced the donation during a reception organised for the team by the leadership of the NSC in Rabat on Saturday night.
EduTimes Africa, a product of Education Times Africa, is a magazine publication that aims to lend its support to close the yawning gap in Africa's educational development.