Tuesday, July 29, 2025 - The Presidency has defended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s recent cash reward to the Super Falcons, following mixed public reactions on social and mainstream media platforms.
In a post shared on his verified X (formerly Twitter)
handle, @aonanuga1956, Special Adviser to the President on Information and
Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, explained that the President did what a grateful
nation should do.
He reiterated that President Tinubu’s gesture was a
celebration of “excellence, creativity, hard work, soccer artistry and the
undying Nigerian spirit.”
“When you remember that Multichoice, the organizer of
the BBNaija reality
show is offering the winner ₦150
million grand prize, you wonder why some Nigerians are unappreciative of
President Tinubu’s rewards to the Super Falcons,” Onanuga wrote.
President on Monday announced monetary rewards, approving
the Naira equivalent of $100,000 (approximately N153 million) for each player
and $50,000 (N75.6 million), for each member of the coaching crew, totalling
N4,503,600,000.
He also conferred the national honour of Officer of the
Order of the Niger (OON) on each member of the victorious squad, as well as a
three-bedroom apartment to go with.
Onanuga’s reaction comes after President Tinubu, on Monday,
announced a special cash reward and national recognition for members of the
Nigerian women’s national football team following their historic victory at the
2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).
The Falcons claimed their 10th continental title after a
dramatic win in Rabat, Morocco.
While the President’s move received praise from many
Nigerians and sports enthusiasts, particularly for promoting women’s sports,
some online commentators questioned the timing, monetary value, and broader
implications in the face of economic challenges.
Onanuga, however, emphasized that the President’s action was
symbolic of his administration’s commitment to rewarding merit and motivating
future excellence.
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