Latest news with #Tinubu
Kuwait Times
7 hours ago
- Sport
- Kuwait Times
Tinubu receives Nigerian women's team after Africa Cup victory
'All our problems were drowned in the frenzy of the spectacular win' ABUJA: The Nigerian women's national football team touched down in the capital Monday for an audience with the president, fresh off their weekend Africa Cup championship victory over Morocco. The Super Falcons, winners of Saturday's Women's Africa Cup of Nations final, were greeted on the tarmac at Abuja's international airport by traditional dancers, drummers and a swarm of journalists and government officials. They then departed in a convoy escorted by security to meet with President Bola Tinubu. The women brought with them their 10th WAFCON trophy, the culmination of years of dominance at the continent level despite struggles at home over late payments and pay disparities with the men's team. To grab the gold, the Super Falcons mounted a stunning comeback from a seemingly fatal 2-0 deficit, winning 3-2 over their WAFCON hosts in Rabat. Ahead of the match it was announced that Tinubu had personally approved players' tournament bonus payments. The seemingly routine measure has in the past been anything but, with the Super Falcons butting heads with the Nigeria Football Federation over unpaid bonuses after their 2023 Women's World Cup run. Fans in recent years have also called for the team to be paid the same as the men's team, the Super Eagles. At the presidential villa, Tinubu announced that players would be given a three bedroom apartment as well as a $100,000 cash bonus. 'We could not be prouder,' the president said, adding that he 'didn't want to watch the match' at one point because of the stress. Problems 'drowned' by victory For many fans, however, the team got its proper roses with Saturday's trophy, which also served as a temporary relief from the country's many crises, from jihadist insurgency to spiralling inflation. Muhammad Awwal, a taxi driver in Kano, told AFP over the weekend that the women helped Nigerians 'momentarily forget our common problems'. 'All our problems were drowned in the frenzy of celebration of the spectacular win,' he said. Despite the challenges, the team has made an appearance in every women's World Cup since the tournament debuted in 1991. 'Nigeria is the best country, with the best women's national football team,' said Paul Edeh, chairman of the Benue State Football Association, who was at the airport to greet the team Monday. 'What these girls have been able to achieve... the kind of trophies they've brought to us, we've not seen that with the male team,' he told AFP. While watch parties erupted in cheers across the country Saturday evening, the overall reaction in the country of some 220 million was relatively muted. Most of the crowd greeting the players as they touched down were airport workers, government officials and journalists. Though the government promised 'the streets of Abuja' would 'be agog' during a citywide parade, ultimately plans were pared back. — AFP
The Hindu
19 hours ago
- Sport
- The Hindu
Mismanagement, poor funding, corruption: Nigerian women's team rises above challenges to win WAFCON 2024 title
Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu on Monday hosted and splashed gifts on the triumphant national women's football team, which overcame poor preparations and missing payments to win its record-extending 10th Women's Africa Cup of Nations title. The Super Falcons' comeback 3-2 victory over host Morocco in Saturday's thrilling final was applauded by Tinubu and many in Nigeria, a football-loving nation where passion and hard work often triumph over institutional challenges. Nigeria's forward #15 Rasheedat Ajibade poses with her Woman of the Tournament trophy on the podium after the Women's Africa Cup of Nations final football at Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat on July 26, 2025. | Photo Credit: AFP The continental success, analysts say, papers over the mismanagement of the women's team by the country's authorities. The success of the country had come in spite of the country. 'They have been able to dominate even though the Nigerian football authorities do not put as much funding, care, attention, and planning into the way the women's national team is run,' Solace Chukwu, a Lagos-based football analyst, told The Associated Press. The team had been owed match bonuses for years, once resulting in a training boycott in 2022. Even as it triumphed on the way to the finals in Morocco, the backlog of payments was only approved by the President days before Saturday's final. The Falcons also could not hold competitive friendly matches, and their training kits were said not to have been available. It is a common problem in Nigeria where sporting competitions are often dogged by issues of underfunding, corruption, and mismanagement that have led to high-profile scandals, resulting in athletes choosing to represent other countries in protest. Women's teams are affected the most, partly because of how women have always been viewed in Nigerian society, according to Oluwashina Okeleji, a sports analyst with a focus on Africa. Nigeria's midfielder #02 Rinsola Babajide celebrates with a national flag after winning the Women's Africa Cup of Nations final football match against Morocco at Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat on July 26, 2025. | Photo Credit: AFP 'The argument from the (Nigerian) federation is that the men bring more money than the women, but the truth is the women bring most prestige, honours, and titles to Nigeria,' Okeleji said. A spokesperson for the Nigeria Football Federation, the country's governing football body, declined to respond to the allegations. The Nigerian women's team has exercised a near-total dominance in African football, which is partly credited to a head start in the women's game. Nigeria created the first football league for women in 1978, years before their counterparts on the continent. ALSO READ: Women's Copa America - Colombia beats Argentina on penalties to reach final, books LA2028 Olympics spot However, the gains have not catapulted the team to similar achievements on the global stage in what analysts say is a failure of the authorities to capitalise on this early advantage. 'The men's team is huge generally within the administration of Nigerian football as the cash cow,' Chukwu said. The gifts now promised by the president, including money and property, have not convinced the fans. 'This one-time payment and apartment do not make any sense. For what? What they need is investment in the facilities, the staff, and payment. The lack of investment in women's football is one of the reasons why it is not as high quality as the men's,' Funmi Obasa, a football fan in Abuja who follows the women's team, told AP.
Al-Ahram Weekly
a day ago
- Politics
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Nigeria women soccer team rises above poor management to clinch continental trophy - Africa
Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu on Monday hosted and splashed gifts on the triumphant national women's soccer team who overcame poor preparations and missing payments to win their record-extending 10th Women's Africa Cup of Nations title. The Super Falcons' comeback 3-2 victory over host Morocco in Saturday's thrilling final was applauded by Tinubu and many in Nigeria, a soccer-loving nation where passion and hard work often triumphs over institutional challenges. The continental success, analysts say, papers over the mismanagement of the women's team by the country's authorities. The success of the country had come in spite of the country. 'They have been able to dominate even though the Nigerian soccer authorities do not put as much funding, care, attention, and planning into the way the women's national team is run,' Solace Chukwu, a Lagos-based soccer analyst, told The Associated Press. A difference in treatment The team had been owed match bonuses for years, once resulting in a training boycott in 2022. Even as they triumphed on the way to the finals in Morocco, the backlog of payments was only approved by the president days before Saturday's final. They also could not hold competitive friendly matches and their training kits were said to not have been available. It is a common problem in Nigeria where sporting competitions are often dogged by issues of underfunding, corruption, and mismanagement that have led to high-profile scandals resulting in athletes choosing to represent other countries in protest. Women's teams are affected the most, partly because of how women have always been viewed in the Nigerian society, according to Oluwashina Okeleji, a sport analyst with focus on Africa. 'The argument from the (Nigerian) federation is that the men bring more money than the women, but the truth is the women bring most prestige, honours, and titles to Nigeria,' Okeleji said. A spokesperson for the Nigeria Football Federation, the country's governing soccer body, declined to respond to the allegations. Victims of success The Nigerian women's team has exercised a near-total dominance in African soccer, which is partly credited to a head-start in the women's game. Nigeria created the first soccer league for women in 1978, years before their counterparts on the continent. However, the gains have not catapulted the team to similar achievements on the global stage in what analysts say is a failure of the authorities to capitalize on this early advantage. 'The men's team is huge generally within the administration of Nigerian football as the cash cow,' Chukwu said. The gifts now promised by the president, including money and property, have not convinced the fans. 'This one-time payment and apartment does not make any sense. For what? What they need is investment in the facilities, the staff, and payment. The lack of investment in women's football is one of the reasons why it is not as high quality as the men's,' Funmi Obasa, a football fan in Abuja who follows the women's team, told AP. (For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.) Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
The Hindu
a day ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Nigeria's women's football team rises above poor management to clinch continental trophy
Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu on Monday (July 28, 2025) hosted and splashed gifts on the triumphant national women's football team, who overcame poor preparations and missing payments to win their record-extending 10th Women's Africa Cup of Nations title. The Super Falcons' comeback 3-2 victory over host Morocco in Saturday's thrilling final was applauded by Tinubu and many in Nigeria, a football-loving nation where passion and hard work often triumphs over institutional challenges. The continental success, analysts say, papers over the mismanagement of the women's team by the country's authorities. The success of the country had come in spite of the country. 'They have been able to dominate even though the Nigerian football authorities do not put as much funding, care, attention, and planning into the way the women's national team is run,' Solace Chukwu, a Lagos-based football analyst, told The Associated Press. Underfunding, corruption The team had been owed match bonuses for years, once resulting in a training boycott in 2022. Even as they triumphed on the way to the finals in Morocco, the backlog of payments was only approved by the president days before Saturday's final. They also could not hold competitive friendly matches and their training kits were said to not have been available. It is a common problem in Nigeria where sporting competitions are often dogged by issues of underfunding, corruption and mismanagement that have led to high-profile scandals resulting in athletes choosing to represent other countries in protest. Women's teams are affected the most, partly because of how women have always been viewed in the Nigerian society, according to Oluwashina Okeleji, a sport analyst with focus on Africa. 'The argument from the (Nigerian) federation is that the men bring more money than the women, but the truth is the women bring most prestige, honours and titles to Nigeria,' Okeleji said. A spokesperson for the Nigeria Football Federation, the country's governing football body, declined to respond to the allegations. Dominance The Nigerian women's team has exercised a near-total dominance in African football, which is partly credited to a head-start in the women's game. Nigeria created the first football league for women in 1978, years before their counterparts on the continent. However, the gains have not catapulted the team to similar achievements on the global stage in what analysts say is a failure of the authorities to capitalize on this early advantage. 'The men's team is huge generally within the administration of Nigerian football as the cash cow,' Chukwu said. The gifts now promised by the president, including money and property, have not convinced the fans. 'This one-time payment and apartment does not make any sense. For what? What they need is investment in the facilities, the staff, and payment. The lack of investment in women's football is one of the reasons why it is not as high quality as the men's," Funmi Obasa, a football fan in Abuja who follows the women's team, told AP.
eNCA
2 days ago
- Sport
- eNCA
Tinubu receives Nigerian women's team after Africa Cup victory
ABUJA - The Nigerian women's national football team touched down in the capital Monday for an audience with the president, fresh off their weekend Africa Cup championship victory over Morocco. The Super Falcons, winners of Saturday's Women's Africa Cup of Nations final, were greeted on the tarmac at Abuja's international airport by traditional dancers, drummers and a swarm of journalists and government officials. They then departed in a convoy escorted by security to meet with President Bola Tinubu. The women brought with them their 10th WAFCON trophy, the culmination of years of dominance at the continent level despite struggles at home over late payments and pay disparities with the men's team. To grab the gold, the Super Falcons mounted a stunning comeback from a seemingly fatal 2-0 deficit, winning 3-2 over their WAFCON hosts in Rabat. Ahead of the match it was announced that Tinubu had personally approved players' tournament bonus payments. The seemingly routine measure has in the past been anything but, with the Super Falcons butting heads with the Nigeria Football Federation over unpaid bonuses after their 2023 Women's World Cup run. Fans in recent years have also called for the team to be paid the same as the men's team, the Super Eagles. At the presidential villa, Tinubu announced that players would be given a three bedroom apartment as well as a $100,000 cash bonus. "We could not be prouder," the president said, adding that he "didn't want to watch the match" at one point because of the stress. - Problems 'drowned' by victory - Despite the challenges, the team has made an appearance in every women's World Cup since the tournament debuted in 1991. "Nigeria is the best country, with the best women's national football team," said Paul Edeh, chairman of the Benue State Football Association, who was at the airport to greet the team Monday. "What these girls have been able to achieve... the kind of trophies they've brought to us, we've not seen that with the male team," he told AFP. While watch parties erupted in cheers across the country Saturday evening, the overall reaction in the country of some 220 million was relatively muted. Most of the crowd greeting the players as they touched down were airport workers, government officials and journalists. Though the government promised "the streets of Abuja" would "be agog" during a citywide parade, ultimately plans were pared back. For many fans, however, the team got its proper roses with Saturday's trophy, which also served as a temporary relief from the country's many crises, from jihadist insurgency to spiralling inflation. Muhammad Awwal, a taxi driver in Kano, told AFP over the weekend that the women helped Nigerians "momentarily forget our common problems". "All our problems were drowned in the frenzy of celebration of the spectacular win," he said. By Nicholas Roll And Emmanuel Anule
