By FUNKE EGBEMODE
For the 10th time, Nigeria’s female national team, Super Falcons, returned home with the trophy of champions. In other words, this was not the first time these super ladies were winning at the finals of the Women’s African Cup of Nations.They had won nine times earlier. Nigeria now has 10 trophies of that tournament shining proudly bright on a shelf somewhere. Our basketball team, D’Tigress, followed suit a few days after the Falcons feat. They were treated the way the Falcons were treated.
An ope (novice) may win once, may even win the second time; but the Yoruba will insist that no ope wins three consecutive times. Our girls have shown the world that their superior skill and wins are not a fluke; that their victory is not a flash-in-the-pan thing. The Nigerian teams are the undisputed total champions of the tournaments. Whatever or whoever has shamed the nation till those trophies berthed on the shores of Nigeria, the Super Falcons and the D’Tigress lifted our heads and gave us bragging shoulder pads to walk tall and proud.
There is something about women and consistency in victory. President Bola Tinubu said as much in a statement a few days ago: “Nigerian women have never failed this nation in sports. From the Super Falcons standing tall on the world stage, to our athletes breaking records on the track, and D’Tigress building a basketball dynasty, our women have consistently made us proud. To all our young people watching today, let the story of D’Tigress remind you that greatness is a product of hard work, discipline, and belief. Nigeria belongs to those who dare to dream and are willing to give their best to make those dreams a reality.”
Now, let me dare to ask: What did the nation do to celebrate our warrior girls after each of the past nine wins? Did we give them $100,000 each? Did we give them three-bedroom apartments? Did all the governors of Nigeria speak with one voice and announce N10m for each player? Did the presidents in the saddle during each of the previous nine wins beautify the wings of our queens with national honours?
Did those former Presidents give each member of the coaching team $50,000 (about N75. 6m)? No, they did not. They were either too busy, too unaware, or too broke to do anything.
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