The Nigerian Senate has announced a donation of ₦100 million to the Flamingos, the U-17 women’s national team, following their recent historic triumph at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Rabat, Morocco.
Senate gifts Flamingos ₦100m
The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the donation during plenary on Tuesday while presiding over a motion moved by Senator Abdul Ningi.
Ningi (ADC, Bauchi Central) had presented the motion seeking to congratulate the team for its outstanding achievement.
Ningi described the Flamingos’ victory as historic, noting that the young players had accomplished what several other Nigerian national teams had struggled to achieve.
He said the achievement was particularly remarkable considering the limited expectations surrounding the team before the competition.
The senator, however, expressed concern that the players had not received adequate publicity and national recognition despite bringing honour to Nigeria and Africa.
He also questioned the level of official recognition accorded to the team upon its return to the country, insisting that the players deserved to be celebrated for their achievement.
Seconding the motion, Senator Adams Oshiomhole (APC, Edo North) commended the Flamingos for defeating Japan in the final.
Oshiomhole, a former governor of Edo State, described their triumph as evidence of the enormous potential and determination of Nigerian youths.
The senator urged Nigerians to celebrate the country’s achievements, rather than concentrate solely on its challenges.
He also appealed to the Senate leadership to consider a financial reward for the players, particularly to support their educational needs while they pursue their sporting careers.
The Senate subsequently adopted the prayers of the motion, congratulating President Bola Tinubu for his support for sports development, Nigerians on the historic victory, and the leadership of the National Sports Commission (NSC), particularly its Chairman, Shehu Dikko.
In his remarks, Akpabio described the Flamingos’ achievement as a significant milestone for Nigeria and Africa, highlighting their victories over established football nations, including Brazil and Japan.
He called on the Federal Government to adequately reward the players and urged the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to sustain the team and invest in their development for future competitions.
According to the Senate President, the ₦100 million donation by the National Assembly was intended to recognise the players’ achievement and encourage them to continue bringing honour to the country.
“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,” he said.
Akpabio added that the Federal Government should recognise the players appropriately and provide them with adequate rewards.
“The Nigerian Football Federation, under its leadership, should see the need to keep these children together and develop them further,” he said.
Akpabio also appealed to wealthy and sports-loving Nigerians to support the young footballers and encourage more Nigerian youths to participate in sports.
He further congratulated the players, the Senate Committee on Sports and Nigerians at large on the historic accomplishment of the young female footballers.
The ₦100 million donation added to the growing recognition of the Flamingos’ achievement and highlighted calls for sustained investment in youth football development in Nigeria.
President Bola Tinubu had earlier announced a donation of ₦100 million to each of the victorious Flamingos in recognition of their historic feat at the female football tournament.
