Akpabio announces N100m reward for victorious Flamingos
The Senate has donated N100 million to Nigeria’s Under-17 women’s football team, the Flamingos, following their historic victory at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Rabat, Morocco.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced the donation during plenary on Tuesday while presiding over a motion congratulating the team.
The motion was moved by Senator Abdul Ningi (ADC, Bauchi Central), who described the Flamingos’ victory as a historic achievement.
Ningi said the young players had accomplished what many other Nigerian national teams had struggled to achieve. He noted that the team had exceeded expectations despite limited attention before the competition.
The senator expressed concern that the players had not received enough publicity and recognition for their achievement. He also said they deserved a better reception when they returned to Nigeria.
He described the victory as proof of the talent and determination of Nigerian youths.
Oshiomhole urged Nigerians to celebrate the country’s achievements instead of focusing only on its challenges. He also appealed to the Senate leadership to support the players financially, particularly with their education and sporting careers.
The Senate adopted the motion, congratulating President Bola Tinubu for his support for sports development, as well as the Flamingos and the National Sports Commission, particularly its chairman, Shehu Dikko.
The lawmakers also called on the Federal Government to give the players adequate rewards for their achievement.
Speaking after the motion was adopted, Akpabio described the victory as a major achievement for Nigeria and Africa.
He praised the Flamingos for defeating strong football nations, including Brazil and Japan, on their way to winning the competition.
The Senate President urged the Federal Government to reward the players properly and called on the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to keep the team together and continue developing their talents for future competitions.
Akpabio also appealed to wealthy Nigerians and sports supporters to assist the players and encourage more young people to take part in sports.
He said the N100 million donation from the National Assembly was meant to appreciate the team’s achievement and motivate the players to continue making Nigeria proud.
He congratulated the Flamingos, the Senate Committee on Sports and Nigerians on the historic victory.