Nigeria’s Under-17 women’s national football team, the Flamingos, have been promised a N100 million reward by the Senate following their historic victory at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Rabat, Morocco.
The donation, announced by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during plenary on Tuesday, came as lawmakers called on the Federal Government to ensure the young players receive adequate rewards and support beyond their sporting achievement.
The development followed a motion moved by Senator Abdul Ningi (ADC, Bauchi Central), who urged the Senate to recognise the team for making history and bringing honour to Nigeria and Africa. Ningi described the victory as remarkable, noting that the young players had achieved what several other Nigerian national teams had struggled to accomplish.
He, however, expressed concern that the team’s achievement had not received the publicity and national recognition it deserved.The senator also lamented that the players did not receive sufficient official recognition upon their return to the country, despite their historic performance.
Seconding the motion, Senator Adams Oshiomhole (APC, Edo North) praised the Flamingos for defeating Japan in the final, describing their triumph as evidence of the potential and determination of Nigerian youths.
Oshiomhole urged Nigerians to celebrate the country’s achievements rather than focus only on its challenges.He also appealed to the Senate leadership to make a financial contribution to the team, particularly to support the players’ educational needs alongside their football careers.
The Senate subsequently adopted the motion, congratulating President Bola Tinubu on his support for sports development, Nigerians on the team’s victory and the National Sports Commission, particularly its chairman, Shehu Dikko.
The lawmakers also called on the Federal Government to provide adequate compensation and rewards for the players in recognition of their achievement.
Akpabio, while commenting on the motion, described the victory as a major achievement for Nigeria and Africa, noting that the Flamingos defeated established football nations, including Brazil and Japan, on their way to the title.
He urged the Federal Government to reward the players appropriately and called on the Nigeria Football Federation to keep the team together and continue developing their talents for future competitions.
The Senate President also appealed to wealthy Nigerians and sports enthusiasts to support the young players and encourage other children to pursue sporting careers.He said the N100 million donation from the National Assembly was intended to recognise the team’s achievement and motivate the players to continue making the country proud.
“I want to commend the Flamingos, the Under-17 youth team of Nigeria, for defeating major countries such as Brazil and Japan to win the Under-17 World Cup for Africa for the first time and for Nigeria,” Akpabio said.
He added that the Federal Government should recognise the players and give them adequate rewards, while urging the NFF to invest in their continued development.The Senate President congratulated the players, the Senate Committee on Sports and Nigerians on the victory.
Emiabata Deborah Oluwabusiolami
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