The lacklustre approach and nonchalant attitude by the Nigeria Football Federation and the sports ministry in its handling of female football is killing the game and if urgent attention is not taken, female football in Nigeria will soon go into extinction.
After playing qualifications games in the group stages, quarter final, semi-final and overcoming the hurdles from Cameroon to win the trophy at the just concluded African Women’s Cup of Nation, it is surprising that the Nigeria Football Federation has not paid these heroic Super Falcons their winning bonuses and allowances.
It is absolutely disputable to hear that a team that did the nation so proud is being treated like slaves.
Honestly, Nigerians should rally round the Super Falcons and force the sports ministry and NFF to pay their entitlements.
Some players came home with injuries and are in dire need of money to treat their injuries.
Many of the ladies are regretting representing Nigeria, following the poor treatment they got from the federation.
It is very sad and dangerous to our female football in Nigeria that African Champions- the Falcons are still in dark over their unpaid bonuses and allowances.
Reports had it that the players were paid N500,000 each and officials got N400,000 for them not to boycott their AWCON semi-final against South Africa.
It is ridiculous to hear that NFF president, Amaju Pinnick and sports minister; Solomon Dalung took a chattered flight to Cameroon and still complained the country is financially handicapped.
“They came to Cameroon on a chattered flight and did not consider it fit to see us, but left back,” a reliable source said.
That shows the NFF and sports ministry are less concerned about the girls.
Mohammed Sanusi, NFF general secretary who met with the players and officials at their hotel in Abuja on Tuesday, assured the ladies that the federation would definitely pay the players and officials all their monies.
“I have come to appeal to you, to understand the situation of the Federation, to understand the situation of the country at the present and exercise patience.
“We will pay you all monies you are being owed as soon as we receive same from the government, just as we paid the U17 boys who won the FIFA U17 World Cup in Chile last year, after the tournament. And just as we sorted out Coach Samson Siasia’s wages as soon as we had the funds, after the Olympics.”
Sanusi also recalled that the Super Eagles were owed monies for the match against Tanzania and were paid when funds for that match was made available by Government.
“As I speak with you, we are still owing the Super Eagles for the matches against Zambia and Algeria, but the memos have gone to government and are being looked at,” he said.
“We must commend the sports minister, Solomon Dalung. He has been energetically pushing the cases of the various national teams. We did the memo for the Women Africa Cup of Nations in October and it is being processed as we speak.”
Stating that the NFF has embarked on aggressive drive to find a permanent solution to the issue of owing players and coaches, Sanusi said corporate players are now lending a listening ear to the NFF leadership and the Federation’s finances would soon improve.
But comments from the minister of sports, Solomon Dalung made matters worst. Dalung said the Federal Government was not expecting the Falcons to win the CAF African Women’s Cup of Nations in Cameroon.
“Don’t forget that nobody even knew the team will emerge victorious.
“If we were confident they will emerge victorious, all the federation would have done was to plan for process of participation and entitlement.
“It is already established in sports tradition, when you win this is what you are entitled to.
“The situation is highly unfortunate and I don’t like it. These girls have given confidence to women who want to embrace sports, so this will go a long way in killing this laudable achievement. It is unfortunate but we will make sure the right thing is done,” Dalung said.
As at the time of filling this report, the players had seized the AWCON trophy they won and vowed to hold on to the trophy until the NFF offset the N238.05m accumulated bonuses, which they are being owed.
They had threatened that if President Muhammadu Buhari refused to address their grievances at the Federal Executive Council’s meeting on Wednesday, they would embark on protest on the streets of Abuja.
You will also recall that the Nigeria’s U-20 women team, the Falconets got the same or even worst treatment from the NFF, when the team arrived Nigeria, after representing the nation at FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Papua New Guinea. They were left stranded as the NFF refused to pay them.
Players of the country’s team to the FIFA U20 women’s World Cup were paid N30,000 each on their return to the country as against $2,000 promised each player for winning bonuses over Canada and Spain.
However, officials of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) have promised that their win bonuses of $2,000-a-player over Canada and Spain will soon be transferred to their various bank accounts
A breakdown of the 30,000 naira stipend showed that they received a transport fare of 10,000 naira, while 20,000 was to cover their camp allowances.
The Falconets had earlier held the federation to ransom, when they insisted that they would not vacate their hotel rooms unless they were paid all their bonuses and allowances.
Falconets, who finished fourth at the World Cup, were left to cater for themselves on their arrival at the Muritala International Airports Lagos.
The question now is when and where will NFF get funds to offset all the bonuses and allowances owed the Falcons and the Falconets?
With the financial constrain the NFF is complaining of, the question most football stakeholders is asking is how NFF will get funds to pay $47,000, which is a month salary Gernot Rohr, Super Eagles technical adviser, earns.
According to reports, the Super Falcons and the Falconets have not received their bonuses and alliances and the NFF is paying a foreign coach $47,000 a month and still complains of been broke.
To avert these recurring issues, it is time for the sports ministry to make public to Nigerians how much allocation it gives the NFF. Also, Amaju Pinnick, the NFF president must tell Nigerians how much revenue it gets from FIFA, CAF, SuperSport and other corporate bodies. Then Nigerians can tell if the federation is managing its finances judiciously.
Anthony Nlebem
Twitter: @AnthonyNlebem
Facebook: facebook.com/AnthonyNlebem
