Nigeria started strongly, with captain Rasheedat Ajibade striking the woodwork in the seventh minute. The Benin goalkeeper was called into action several times, producing key saves to keep Justine Madugu’s team at bay.
Chiwendu Ihezuo broke the deadlock in the 24th minute, calmly finishing after a precise through ball from Deborah Abiodun.
The Super Falcons maintained their attacking momentum, but Benin’s defense held firm for much of the half.
Esther Okoronkwo doubled Nigeria’s lead just before halftime, once again assisted by Abiodun.
Despite dominating possession after the break, the Super Falcons couldn’t add to their tally and settled for the two-goal advantage.
Both sides will meet again in the return leg at the Moshood Abiola Sports Arena in Abeokuta next Tuesday.
Barely ten days after the Super Eagles of Nigeria thrashed the Cheetahs of Benin Republic 4–0 in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, the rivalry between both West African nations is set to resume — this time on the women’s front.
The Super Falcons are gearing up to face the Benin Republic women’s national team in the first leg of their 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) qualifier.
According to Prompt News, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has appointed Gambian referee Fatou Ngum as the centre referee for the match, which will take place on Friday, October 24, at the Stade de Kégué in Lomé, Togo. Other match officials are expected to be drawn from Gambia and other parts of Africa.
The reigning African champions, Nigeria’s Super Falcons — fresh from clinching their 10th WAFCON title last July in Morocco — are expected to arrive in Lomé on Tuesday, October 22, to fine-tune preparations ahead of the tie. The return leg will hold four days later on Tuesday, October 28, at the MKO Abiola Stadium in Abeokuta, Ogun State, which the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has submitted as the home venue.
The two-legged tie will determine which team books a ticket to the 2026 WAFCON in Morocco, slated for March 17 to April 3, which also serves as the African qualifiers for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
Nigeria, Africa’s most successful women’s football nation, has qualified for every FIFA Women’s World Cup since the inaugural edition in 1991, reaching their best-ever stage — the quarter-finals — in 1999 under the late Coach Ismaila Mabo.
The race for tickets to next year’s Women Africa Cup of Nations, also to be staged in Morocco just as the last two editions, will be concluded in October with Cup holders and 10-time winners Nigeria up against the She-Cheetahs of Benin Republic, and Cameroon’s Indomitable Lionesses up against a mountain.
The Lionesses, runners-up in 2014 in Namibia and in 2016 when Cameroon hosted (both times beaten by Nigeria in the final), must negotiate a tricky fixture against Algeria’s Lady Fennecs in the final qualifying fixture set for 20th – 28th October.
Algeria is noted as a rising power in women’s football in the continent, as the Lady Fennecs finished in second place behind eventual winners Nigeria in their group in Morocco in July this year. They defeated Botswana by a lone goal, and drew 0-0 with both Tunisia and Nigeria to reach the quarter-finals. They took Ghana’s Black Queens to the rubber in their quarter-final clash before eventually bowing out 2-4 after a penalty shootout.
The Indomitable Lionesses also failed to qualify for this year’s finals staged in Morocco, and lost 0-2 to Nigeria in a friendly match played in Abeokuta weeks before the finals.
Benin Republic will host the first leg against Justine Madugu’s Falcons, before Nigeria play host to the return leg. Both matches have to be concluded within the window of 20th – 28th October.
To reach the final round of the qualification series, Benin Republic defeated Sierra Leone’s senior women’s team 5-2 on aggregate, winning 2-1 in Togo and 3-1 in Monrovia, as both teams had to play their home matches on away ground due to absence of any CAF-approved match venue in both countries.
Senegal’s Lionesses, who reached the quarter-finals in Morocco last month before losing to South Africa on penalties after 0-0 in regulation and extra time, face a daunting task against Cote d’Ivoire senior girls in the final round.
The winners of 11 final qualifying fixtures will join hosts Morocco in the final competition that has been scheduled for March 2026, and from where all four semi-finalists will pick tickets to the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup finals in Brazil.
Two additional slots are available for Africa through a play-off tournament, as was the case before the 2023 finals in Australia and New Zealand. Just as was the case in Down Under, the final competition in Brazil (set for 24 June – 25 July 2027) will have 32 teams.
However, world football-ruling body FIFA has increased the numbers of teams for the final competition to 48, starting with the 11th edition of the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2031, to be co-hosted by Mexico and the United States of America.
I have followed with some bemusement the raging debate which in the main amounted to criticism of the substantial rewards given to the Super Falcons by the federal government. Not a few people have questioned the logic behind lavishing so much gifts on ‘mere’ footballers, especially considering the ‘sacrifices’ made daily by soldiers and the law enforcement officers, professors, doctors and nurses, and other essential societal contributors. This scepticism, while understandable in a society grappling with numerous systemic challenges, misses the point. The specific nature of global sporting excellence is a truly exceptional domain. It is also important to recognise that the argument often overlooks the broader socioeconomic impact of such sporting achievements, which ripple beyond the pitch and deeply affect national morale, unity, and international perception.
I believe that this objection is primarily because some may not appreciate the value and uniqueness of extraordinary talent, which, for me, overlooks the crucial distinctions between global representation/recognition and what I will term general service. The Super Falcons’ triumph is not merely a football victory but a historic landmark carved on the global sporting map. The visibility of this team has showcased Nigeria’s capacity to rival the best globally, and fosters a sense of pride that transcends social and ethnic divides.
In this particular instance, the Super Falcons represent the pinnacle of football talent in Nigeria – less than 25 athletes out of hundreds of millions, and this, by the way, applies to all our sporting heroes. To get to the point of wearing national colours on the world stage goes beyond hard work or formal education; it requires innate prodigious talent, relentless discipline, exceptional physical fitness, and exceptional mental fortitude. This achievement rivals, if not surpasses the global odds for some of humanity’s most coveted prizes. We need to understand that these young women competed not merely for personal glory but as the bearers of Nigeria’s national identity. They inspired millions of their compatriots and united a diverse country, at least for a while. The symbolism of these athletes as ambassadors for peace, progress, and national solidarity cannot be overstated.
We need to understand clearly that recognising the Super Falcons victory and rewarding them likewise, does not diminish the critical importance of teachers, soldiers, policemen, doctors, nurses, or professors, etc., and their noble contributions to society. These roles are admittedly fundamental to Nigeria’s social fabric and deserve adequate, sustainable rewards and appreciation. However, while immensely valuable, these professions do not operate on the same level of rarity or global benchmarking. They involve thousands or millions of dedicated individuals, each performing indispensable but more accessible functions at the population level. The comparison often made between these professions and sportsmen and women fails to consider that while some forms of service are continuous and foundational, success, when it comes to sports, requires rare talent and resilience under global scrutiny, a combination not common to any other field.
The Super Falcons competed with the world’s elite athletes, subject to unforgiving international scrutiny and pressure. This implies a high level of stress, commitment, and sacrifice. The magnitude of this responsibility on these women is enormous.
Globally, exceptional achievements command exceptional rewards. Examples of this include prestigious awards like the Nobel Prize or the Pulitzer Prize, which focus on a select few – sometimes only one recipient – whose skill and impact are way above the norm. The substantial monetary rewards attached to these honours are rarely contested because they acknowledge rare, boundary-pushing contributions that advance humanity. Achievements in sports on a world stage operate in a similar vein. I really think that our national conscience ought to evolve to embrace celebrating exceptionalism in exceptional ways, even if it challenges the traditional idea of merit and reward.
We mustn’t forget that in international sports, athletes who succeed on stages like the World Cup or Olympics generally receive huge financial and symbolic rewards. These incentives reflect not only the rarity and difficulty of their achievements but also their nations’ desire to foster and incentivise ongoing global excellence. Beyond individual gains, these rewards serve as strategic national tools that promote tourism, inspire youth engagement in sports, and open international opportunities for partnerships and investments. The economic spin-offs linked to such achievements can be significant and long-lasting, benefiting multiple sectors beyond sports alone.
Rewarding the Super Falcons is more than an act of generosity; it is a strategic investment in nurturing future talent pipelines and sustaining national pride. Such recognition provides tangible proof that elite global achievement deserves respect and serves as a powerful motivator for emerging athletes. In a country with systemic challenges, these incentives are critical to unlocking potential. They also help combat the brain drain phenomenon in sports, where talented individuals are tempted to represent other countries for better opportunities. National rewards affirm that Nigeria values and honours its home-grown heroes, encouraging retention and pride.
Furthermore, honouring women’s sporting achievements sends a strong message about gender equity and empowerment. The Super Falcons’ rewards underscore the potential for female empowerment in all sectors. It is a critical step toward dismantling systemic discrimination and opening equal opportunities.
So, for those of our compatriots comparing athletes’ rewards to those of soldiers or educators, I dare say that such comparison, while well-meaning, applies incompatible value systems. Soldiers, teachers, and similar professions operate largely under a steady-state, service-driven reward framework, essential for national stability and development. Elite sports achievement, in contrast, is occasional, fiercely competitive, and globally visible, necessitating a distinct valuation system. It is comparable to recognising world-class innovators, artists, or scientists, who are rewarded for extraordinary breakthroughs rather than steady service. Each paradigm requires a tailored response to reward and recognition, acknowledging the fundamental differences in function, risk, and societal impact.
What I see here is a subtle transfer of aggression of sorts. Instead of raging at the Nigerian state for not enhancing support, salaries, and career development for soldiers, teachers, policemen, professors, and other essential workers, and recognising their indispensable roles. This is especially annoying when some executive and legislative folks regularly conspire to loot the budget, collude to hide the misappropriations, connive to bypass oversight, and concoct false reports to mislead the public. The same people making noise about these rewards being excessive will return their ‘criminal’ leaders in elections. This cycle of misplaced energy detracts from constructive advocacy and allows entrenched corruption and mismanagement to persist unchallenged. It reflects a broader societal challenge – of focusing criticism not on systemic reform, but on symbolic issues that divert attention from root causes.
In conclusion, I am of the firm belief that we must continue to acknowledge the vital contributions of athletes to Nigeria’s diplomatic and cultural capital, and should continue to reward them appropriately for their outstanding achievements. There is, in fact, a moral imperative to recognise true excellence wherever it arises. To compete on the global stage and dominate the rest of the world, knowing that all the participating countries sent their best talents, demands rewards, not just to honour the achievement, but their dedication, sacrifice, and exceptional skill. The Super Falcons’ victory is both a testament and a challenge to the nation to deepen its commitment toward nurturing excellence, not in isolation but as part of an integrated national development agenda.
This is not to say that Nigeria should not ensure sustained recognition of continuous service such as that of soldiers and other essential contributors to Nigerian societal development. There should be in place, a global-standard social security system to take care of Nigerians, especially in their old age.
The rewards given to the Super Falcons, as far as I am concerned, reflect the rarity of their achievement, the symbolic significance of global representation, and the broad national benefits they confer. To continue to win and compete globally, Nigeria must continue to reward exceptional world-class talents. Without this commitment, the country risks mediocrity in both accomplishment and the manner in which it values greatness. Nigerians should, in my opinion, support the celebration of excellence in a ‘big way’, including the gifts, the likes of which triggered this controversy, thus inspiring generations to come.
Super Falcons and D’Tigress awards call for a fresh reward template for national heroes, across all sectors
The triumph and fulsome reward to two Nigerian national female teams, the Super Falcons and D’Tigress, has opened a spigot of cash, promised real estate and the national honour of Officer of Order of the Niger (OON) — and rightly so.
The Falcons, after going down 2-0 in just 24 minutes to hosts Atlas Lionesses of Morocco, claimed a 3-2 victory — all three goals in the last 30 minutes of the game! The icing on the cake: the Falcons’ 10th triumph in 10 finals, out of 13 championships, spread over 26 years!
These 10 wins are also a world record: only the Falcons — national female football team — boast 10 titles, of all the continental champions; the closest being (USA: North/Central America/Caribbean) and Brazil (South America), with nine titles each. Also, the 10 over 10 — 100% win — in the Women African Cup of Nations (WAFCON) finals is also a global phenomenon.
Still, move over, the Falcons — in a few days in-between. Approach to be toasted, D’Tigress: seven-time African female Basketball champions, and five-time champions on the bounce, with their August 3 triumph in the African championship in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire — an African record! What was more? That latest win was their 29th, over the last 10 years: their last defeat, on African soil, being in that same championship in 2015!
The Federal Government, under President Bola Tinubu, has admirably reacted with a surfeit of gifts, on behalf of a thrilled and grateful nation: the Naira equivalent of US$ 100, 000, a three-bedroom apartment in a government estate in Abuja and the OON for each of the players, with the cash prize graduated for each member of the technical team. The Falcons and D’Tigress were rapturous winners.
But what first appeared a rich pasture of national honour — well-earned — soon plummeted into a desert of resent and complaints. The aggrieved complained that whereas they honoured Nigeria by past wins, Nigeria never honoured them, as the present golden girls.
Graceless sense of entitlement? Sour grapes? Or even braying political opponents, over the good PR these sweet victories have gifted the Tinubu government? Plausible motives to be fair, but not x-raying these grievances would be unfair.
The very first came from past winners of WAFCON, particularly in those early dominant years, when Nigeria did not only clean the titles but won big, scoring as many as eight goals, in complete demolition of luckless opponents.
Ironically, representing these indomitable pioneers, in this latest bevy of winners, is Ann Agumanu-Chiejine. Chiejine, a former Falcons goalkeeper, played in a championship when she was months pregnant! What heroism! What patriotism!
But most of her Falcons contemporaries were out, including Precious Dede, another iconic goalkeeper, Perpetual Nwocha — the female version of the male Austine “Jay-Jay” Okocha, with her sublime skills, if not Jay-Jay’s mercurial showboating, Florence Omagbemi, worthy and dependable skipper of that era, among many others.
If they delivered for the country, why were they not toasted as these Spartans that just accomplished Mission X? Can the good action of the present government become a “fault”, because of the inaction of the previous governments? Certainly not!
Even then, it’s doubtful if that “inaction” can be rubbished. Whatever reason for that past decision couldn’t have been ingratitude. Such governments appreciated the Falcons no less. They just did it their own way. It doesn’t matter that it didn’t translate into cash and sundry flourish.
So, while we empathise with these past heroines, it’s better they stop turning their experience into virtual moral blackmail to browbeat the current order for past actions or inactions. Were the government even to bow to that pressure, how far into the past would it go? It’s best to wish the present lucky winners well and joy for them.
A second appeal, driven by a rather bitter grumble, has come from Peacemaker Azuegbulam, a living symbol of near-supreme sacrifice in his service duties, but who has found redemption in sports.
Azuegbulam, 28, was at the terror front in October 2020, as a 23-year-old, when Boko Haram cells attacked his unit, seriously wounding him. To save his life, military doctors opted to amputate one of his legs. That completely broke Azuegbulam.
“After being injured, I got into a lot of things emotionally, physically and even mentally,” he would later tell Africa News. “I was thinking a lot of things, I was not myself, it was very tough.” Indeed, for a young man, that must have been tough!
But then came redemption — and a second life — in sports. The young soldier grabbed sports as therapy, and before long, he was back to his feet. He became the African champion in powerlifting, while also competing in sitting volleyball. The apogee of his rebirth came in Düsseldorf, Germany, which hosted the 2024 Invictus Games, conceived as rallying sports for deformed soldiers. He won a gold in powerlifting — the very first African soldier to achieve such a feat.
“I feel great to become the first champion in Invictus Games from Africa,” he crowed to AFP in Abuja, after the win. “Invictus means unconquered because we are still alive.”
Unfortunately, the Falcons and D’Tigress rewards have brought needless bitterness to blight his soaring, back-from-the-dead spirit, the very ethos of the Invictus Games, which started in 2014, as conceived by Prince Harry of England.
“We came back, nothing was given to us,” he grumbled, “and today, US$ 100, 000 was given to female footballers.” Although he clearly stated that he was happy for the girls, his own lack of reward made him bitter.
The pathos of Azuegbulam is deep: a serviceman, crippled in action, came back to do more honours for his country, and yet feels far less appreciated — deep! But that can only fly in the emotive space. If you apply some rigour, the podium seems to vanish.
For one, he is a serviceman, who enjoys benefits not open to other non-force citizens. We owe our service (wo)men grateful honour. But it’s doubtful if anyone outside the military ogles those exclusive benefits he and colleagues enjoy, flowing from their service oath.
Besides, Invictus is a strictly military affair. Whatever dissonance he had, he ought to have channelled it to the military authorities. Also, he sounds rather reactionary: his glory came last year. If the military did not do enough, why didn’t he complain then? But maybe complaining now is an opener for the military to give their own far better deals, in consonance with their service oath. First thing first, though: Azuegbulam should complain to the right quarters.
A third complaint came from the triumph of other glorious teens — three of them — from a Yobe secondary school, that trumped their peers in a global competition in English. The trio: Nafisa Abdullahi Aminu, Rukayya Muhammad Fema and Hadiza Kashim Kalli. All three, 17 and below, triumphed at the 2025 TeenEagle Global competition in London, UK.
Some voices have pushed a Naira splash for the teens too, matching the presidential largesse of the adult Falcons and D’Tigress. Well, no crime in asking in a setting notorious for entitlement. But pushing for adult rewards for impressionable teens is clearly not well thought out, if not ab initio powered by outright mischief.
The Federal Government has done well by toasting the feat of these golden teens where it matters most — their budding intellect. Their achievements, coming from a section of the country often talked down as educational laggards, is great news. So, the Federal Government should follow with adequate rewards to further nurture their promise. But that can’t equate fulsome cash given to adults. Better: some structured scholarships and learning tools.
With these complaints, however, there is an urgent need to frame a conscious and deliberate reward template for whoever excels, in every sector of our national life.
If that is put in place, and it’s fair and robust enough, sour grapes popping up at glory times should vanish. We should celebrate our patriots without any dark backlash.
Super Falcons goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie has been nominated for the prestigious 2025 Women’s Yachine Trophy — the Ballon d’Or award recognizing the best female goalkeeper in the world.
The 24-year-old recently signed with Brighton Women FC after an exceptional spell at Paris FC, where she played a decisive role in securing the club’s first major title in nearly 20 years.
Nnadozie was the hero of the 2025 Coupe de France Féminine final, leading Paris FC to a dramatic 5-4 penalty shootout win over Paris Saint-Germain following a goalless draw at Stade de l’Épopée in Calais.
Her form extended to the international stage, where she was key to Nigeria’s triumph at the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).
The Super Falcons clinched a record 10th title after edging host nation Morocco in the final. Nnadozie’s commanding presence earned her the Best Goalkeeper award and a spot in the Team of the Tournament.
Other standout goalkeepers nominated for the Yachine Trophy include Ann-Katrin Berger (Gotham FC), Cata Coll (Barcelona Femeni), Hannah Hampton (Chelsea Women), and Daphne van Domselaar (Arsenal Women).
The largess showered on the Super Falcons including $100,000 and an Abuja house, probably in the 1506 ‘Crime Estate’ proven by the courts to be recaptured from Emefiele’s reign of terror’ over Nigeria’s assets in CBN, has generated mixed feelings. Of course, we do not know what other past Czars at CBN did. How clean were they really?
Nobody questions the need to reward the Super Falcons and their supporting entourage. But how much is too much in a country with a minimum wage of N70,000/month and a maximum wage of several million/month? Even that N70,000 is often ignored in both government and private sectors and ignored also by the employees of these sectors who in their turn have employees of their own in the domestic setting -armies of underpaid house-helps, servants, drivers, nannies, carers, cooks and guards many of whom earn less than minimum wage and work longer hours.
Contrast this with the unrealistic excessive multi-million ‘maximum government wage’ of Sinators [no apologies for the typo] and UNRepresentatives [no apology for the second typo] commandeered, cornered from the budget, not earned, by members of the ‘greed over need driven’ political class. Nigerians have protested themselves hoarse against this exaggerated self-assessment of worth without success. Paradoxically, National Assembly, NASS added insult to the injury by nastily awarding its members jeeps worth around N164m each interestingly about $100,000.
Politicians seeking public office should be on a government scale Level 18, 19, 20, 21. Period! Nigeria will only progress when politicians serve the country and not service themselves and family generations unborn with misappropriated funds. The president, the VP, senators, representatives, are government jobs not ‘Luxury King Solomon or Midas Treasure Hunts’. Minister means ‘servant’. Our governors demand houses and pensions and gratuities for just four years of hyper-well-paid governance with poor service delivery. There is a disconnect here.
The euphoria of the Super Falcons win and the value added to Nigeria’s sporting reputation are unquantifiable in money or in the value of the free positive promotional worldwide publicity. The win is a huge a morale booster, a yardstick and motivator for others coming behind to measure themselves and surpass. It is a[nother] giant further step to establish more positive sporting role models nationwide. This latter is in spite of the fact that most of the sports girls and women either ‘japa-ed’ abroad to take advantage of better training facilities and better structured sports support scholarships and contracts or were actually born, schooled, scouted and groomed abroad and are actually routinely playing internationally, not in Nigeria.
Good positive news created by Nigerians anywhere is good positive Nigerian news no matter the intermediate country circumstances. This is especially important as our newspapers and world opinion of Nigeria and Nigerians are dependent on recurrent undated negative social media and violence of terrorism, kidnapping, ritual killings, baby factories, drugs and diseases. It is a time when so many other Nigerians seem to be specialising in ‘PHD’ aka ‘Pull Him Down’ or ‘PND’ aka ‘Pull Nigeria Down’ activities.
However, there is need for government at LGA, state and federal to have ‘Yardsticks of Reward’ a STANDARDISED ACADEMIC AND SPORTS REWARD TEMPLATE. Recently, Nigeria has been blessed by a tsunami of First Class or First in Class graduates at home across the world, at home in Nigeria and across the academic world. Yes, some were rewarded with job offers and cash gifts but how does that compare to the most recent Falcons awards? How does academic brilliance compare to a football or athletic prowess in the receipt of government financial rewards?
Already there is a loud complaint on behalf of our star athletes who carry Nigeria’s name sometimes under another flag, winning hard earned laurels on the world and continental stage. Nigerians who change their flags are not traitors. If they were they would change their names and pretend to be rooted elsewhere, but they do not. Their change of flag is like a change of baton in a relay -essential for the necessary progress to finish the athletic career race. In this case it is due to economic, strategic reasons and usually to escape the poor track record of Nigerian sports administration in which the athlete is often neglected. But they are still recognised by their names even when draped in other flags. It is not shame on them for surviving. It is shame on us, Nigeria, for forcing them, by our infrastructural and administrative inadequacies, to make the japa decision made by them or their parents during the five japas created by past authoritarian or economically oppressive regimes.
Some argue that our largely international team actually stopped home grown players succeeding. Some complain that $100,000 per Super Falcons is arbitrary and extravagant compared to the poor sports budgets and poor service delivery and needs of the sports sector generally in Nigeria. THIS IS TRUE. Certainly, we need a REWARD TEMPLATE.
But Nigeria’s participants in sports and academics for the thousandth time demand an answer to the morality in why a 160m+[not 200m+] country would rather allow its private sector reward past presidents with private contributions amounting to around N20billlion for a ONE Presidential Library, than government and private sectors spending a similar amount upgrading sports facilities, administrative quality and quantity, talent hunts, progress ladders and competitive events and reward structures FOR 50 MILLION YOUNG NIGERIANS?
The Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) championship ended about a fortnight ago in Morocco with the Nigeria’s Super Falcons lifting the coveted trophy. Nigeria paraded the finest of its athletes whose selection was not based on ethno-religious quota system of state of origin; we even had a Nigerian of British parentage who proudly wore the green-white-green. The selection was based on merit, competence and performance. They put up measured performance which came out golden. It was the battle of Maroc! The Super Falcons were high value athletes who earned their reward and appreciation in equally valued currency in dollars. Their spirits were not dampened with two goals down; they were not out and they were not finished. They were simply focused with determination and national pride. It was not a miracle but resilience and conviction that earned them victory. They were set to do honour to our country, to give us something to celebrate.
For sure, I am not a football freak! I have never watched any of their matches or known any of them by name. I do not even like soccer fans of any club for that matter, local or international; don’t bother to ask me why. I simply use the same brush for them like some of their religious counterparts, very fanatical. Don’t even try to go into argument with soccer fans because that too may be settled with broken whisky or beer bottles on someone’s head. Football is a mega money spinner sport all over the world. It has attractions of fame and glory with crown of celebrities. Nations can pause in the midst of battle to watch their favourite teams play; that is the power of football.
When our Queens of the field, the Super Falcons conquered Africa in the soccer fiesta that ended in Morocco a fortnight ago, I didn’t even know until I woke up to see the social media space ignited in an inferno of wide celebrations. The mood was electrified by the dollar showers from the presidency, gifts of apartment and national award of Order of the Niger (OON). There appears to be a mood swing for which I do not know the real reason; especially after the announcement of the $100,000 and other perks for the conquering queens of the tribe of Nigeria. They were not Igbo, they were not Hausa/Fulani or Yoruba, they were simply Nigerian team!
Soccer is a unifier in our ethno-religious divisive country which thrives in nepotism and graft. Experience has shown that when selections and appointments are based on merit and competence, the result is a resilient performance as we saw with the Super Falcons who were two goals down but came back with the trophy in the final. They fought hard and did not relent in the face of the setback. They girls were in their blaze of glory, it was their season. They went, they saw and they conquered! That is power of conviction, determination and patriotism. We are a soccer loving nation and we are true to its unifying character. Selections process is straight jacket merit not mediocrity of tribalism. There were times the squad of the national team both junior and senior teams were dominated by people from one state and nobody had problem with it because they delivered.
If we experiment the same process with political appointments and other fields, we will see Nigeria transform into a haven of success and development. We rather choose to appoint people based on filial bond of ethnicity. We do not seem to have problems with each other; the politicians set us up against one another with wrong narratives for selfish reasons, and we pretend not to know this. We throw our lots on the wrong person because he is our own even when we know that he cannot deliver. I do not have problem at all with the mega bucks in dollars to the girls.
We do not have standard reward system but methinks the Super Falcons got deserving rewards in dollars, apartment, national awards and honours. I expect corporate organizations to host and celebrate them in more windfalls in addition to any signage they may get. This is the result of hard work and national service. Nobody should bellyache the dollar rain. Success has many friends, brothers and sisters but failure is an orphan. If anything, let us first protest the undeserving jumbo salaries and allowances of political office holders and members of the National Assembly. We have youths today who feel that the only way out of poverty and breakthrough is through manipulations of cyber space and internet frauds which they now call FOREX trading. The message from the Super Falcons celebration is that honest hard work pays.
By the way, my heart goes out to our Service men and women in the security forces who lay down their lives for us to live in safety. I know some of my comrades in arms from the frontline who are double amputees with other debilitating battle injuries. They too deserve no less because they put their lives on the line that we may live in safety. I hear that the Air Peace gives recognition to Service personnel boarding their flights. That is highly commendable, and I hope they extend it to the veterans who also have paid their dues and made sacrifice for the nation. I feel excited when I hear the announcement that people in the Business Class, Service personnel should come and board on Air Peace.
Every honest work and effort in national service deserves recognition and reward; teachers, doctors etc. Our reward system is impulsive with no set standard. What is left to get this country going is what just secured victory for the Super Falcons at the just concluded WAFCON tournament; get the right people to do the job; put round pegs in round holes.
The girls deserve everything they are offered and more. Their names have been written in our minds and in gold which they brilliantly earned from the football fiesta. What is the lesson from the Super Falcons, if any? Moving forward, selections and appointments to offices should be based on competence, merit and team spirit, not mediocrity of quota system based on tribalism or state f original or religious consideration.
•Kebonkwu Esq, an attorney is based in Abuja. He writes via mikekebonkwu@yahoo.com
Carloha Nigeria, the exclusive distributor and assembler of Chery vehicles in Nigeria, hosted the Super Falcons at its showroom in Alapere, Lagos, in a grand celebration of the team’s historic victory at the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).
The Falcons recently claimed their 10th continental title with a thrilling 3–2 win over host nation Morocco, further cementing their legacy as Africa’s most successful women’s football team.
The event, attended by players, fans, sports journalists, influencers, and industry stakeholders, was organized as a gesture of appreciation for the national team’s achievement.
Speaking during the occasion, the President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau, commended Carloha for its strong commitment to the development of sports in Nigeria.
He described the company’s involvement as a model of corporate patriotism and emphasized the importance of investing in national teams. Gusau expressed confidence that the partnership between the NFF, Carloha, and Chery would yield long-term positive impact.
Carloha Managing Director, Mr. Sola Adigun, welcomed the Falcons and highlighted the significance of the moment, noting that the victory inspired millions across the country.
He stated that the company’s collaboration with the NFF is built on shared values such as excellence, resilience, and national pride.
Adigun described the event as not just a celebration of football success, but a reinforcement of belief in collective ambition and possibility.
The celebratory gathering featured a red carpet reception, media interactions, and the presentation of Chery-branded souvenirs to the players.
The Super Falcons were also taken on a tour of the showroom, where they explored Chery’s vehicle lineup, including the Tiggo 9, Tiggo 8 Pro, Tiggo 4 Pro, and Arrizo 5. The players praised the vehicles for their design, innovation, and advanced technology.
Team captain Rasheedat Ajibade, speaking on behalf of the players, expressed deep appreciation to Carloha for the recognition and support.
She noted that being celebrated by corporate partners adds significant meaning to their victory and sends a strong message about the growing value of women’s football in Nigeria.
As the official automotive sponsor of the NFF, Carloha continues to play a significant role in the promotion of sports and talent development in Nigeria.
The company’s contributions extend beyond sponsorship, with initiatives designed to empower communities and inspire future generations.
Carloha also reaffirmed its commitment to customer satisfaction through its Carloha Care-6-6-7 program, a comprehensive aftersales package that includes a six-year warranty covering major vehicle components, six years of free scheduled maintenance, and a seven-day repair promise with the provision of a courtesy vehicle if needed.
The company emphasized that this initiative is part of its broader vision to ensure reliability, convenience, and peace of mind for all Chery vehicle owners.
The celebration marked another milestone in Carloha’s strategic efforts to support national achievements and contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s sporting and economic development.
Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa is set to host indigenes of the state who were part of Nigeria’s victorious Super Falcons squad at the just-concluded 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) tournament.
The Super Falcons clinched their historic 10th continental title a fortnight ago, defeating host nation Morocco’s Atlas Lionesses in a thrilling final in Rabat.
As part of celebrations to honour the state’s contribution to the national team’s success, Governor Aiyedatiwa will receive Super Falcons defender, Tosin Demehin, alongside two officials of the team who also hail from Ondo State.
According to a statement released on Monday by the media office of the Ondo State Football Association (FA), the event is scheduled to hold at the Cocoa Conference Hall of the Governor’s Office, Alagbaka, Akure, this evening.
“Super Falcons defender, Tosin Demehin, will be hosted alongside two officials of the Super Falcons team who are of Ondo State origin,” the statement read.
The Super Falcons’ victory has sparked nationwide celebrations, with many Nigerians praising the team for their unwavering resilience, discipline, and determination throughout the tournament – a performance that once again cemented Nigeria’s dominance in African women’s football.
