President Bola Tinubu’s generous financial rewards to Nigeria’s victorious Super Falcons, who recently clinched their record 10th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title, have ignited a heated debate across the nation.
While the gesture was intended to celebrate a much-needed morale boost, critics argue the lavish spending is tone-deaf given Nigeria’s struggling economy and the dire conditions faced by essential workers.
The Super Falcons secured their historic WAFCON triumph in a thrilling final against hosts Morocco. After falling behind by two goals in the first half, the Nigerian women’s national team staged a remarkable comeback, leveling the score in the second half and sealing the win with a last-minute penalty.
This victory solidified their position as Africa’s most successful international women’s football team, having also qualified for every FIFA Women’s World Cup, reaching the quarter finals in 1999.
Individual accolades followed the team’s success, with Rasheedat Ajibade named Player of the Tournament, Chiamaka Nnadozie best goalkeeper, and Justin Madugu voted best coach.
The win provided a much-needed lift for a nation grappling with economic woes and a challenging political climate.
President Tinubu responded swiftly to the national jubilation, announcing a $100,000 cash gift for each Super Falcons player and $50,000 for each member of the coaching crew. At an exchange rate of N1,562 to a dollar, this translates to a staggering N156.2 million per player.
In addition to the financial rewards, the President conferred the national honor of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) upon the players and the 11-man technical team. He also directed that each recipient be allotted a three-bedroom apartment in the Renewed Hope Estate.
This marked the beginning of extensive celebrations, with the Nigerian Governors Forum contributing a further N350 million cash award. Corporate entities like Nigerian Breweries PLC and various state governments, including Imo State (home to six Super Falcons players), also hosted the team in subsequent celebrations.
Despite the celebratory atmosphere, the substantial cash awards have drawn sharp criticism from a segment of the Nigerian public.
Many argue that such lavish spending is inappropriate in an economy plagued by high poverty rates and where the government struggles to adequately compensate its workforce.
Social commentator Fr. Kelvin Ugwu highlighted the financial disparity, noting, “The worth of the cup in WAFCON is $1m, but the money spent on the footballers and crew, both as cash gifts and material gifts, including housing, totals beyond $4m.”
He calculated the player and crew cash gifts alone at approximately $3 million and suggested that including the cost of housing, dinner parties, and entertainment, the total expenditure could reach around $5 million for a $1 million prize.
A national daily, Daily Trust even went to town to do a research, where it contextualized the cost of the Super Falcons’ rewards by examining what the equivalent funds could do for critical workers such as doctors, teachers, and police officers, who often face poor remuneration and working conditions.
It said Nigerian medical doctors frequently voiced concerns over low salaries and unfavourable working environments, with some earning less than N250,000 per month.
This, it said, had fueled a significant “japa syndrome,” where medical professionals seek better opportunities abroad.
A doctor in an Abuja government hospital lamented earning only N250,000 monthly, highlighting the unsustainability of this income against the high cost of living.
The over N4 billion spent on the Super Falcons could pay the wages of approximately 16,000 doctors at this minimum salary.
It also raised the issue of teachers, who it said despite their crucial role in shaping future generations, were often undervalued. Many, particularly in private schools, earn as little as N45,000 per month, some even below the national minimum wage of N30,000.
Teachers in the FCT recently endured a protracted strike for over 100 days due to poor welfare, demanding the full implementation of a N70,000 minimum wage. The over N4 billion disbursed to the Super Falcons could adequately pay about 66,000 teachers earning N66,000 monthly.
Poor welfare packages for retired police officers have been a long-standing issue, leading to nationwide protests. A constable in the Nigerian Police Force earns between N51,000 and N75,000 monthly. The amount showered on the Super Falcons could pay approximately 78,000 of the lowest-ranked constables in the Nigeria Police Force, the paper said.
The disparity between the celebratory rewards for the Super Falcons and the ongoing struggles of key public service professionals continues to fuel public discourse, prompting questions about national priorities and equitable resource allocation.
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