By Atafo Igbinedion-
The Presidency has mounted a strong defense of President Bola Tinubu’s generous rewards to Nigeria’s Super Falcons following their historic victory at the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), amid a wave of public criticism and contrasting opinions.
At a grand reception in Abuja on Monday, July 28, President Tinubu celebrated the team’s continental triumph by conferring national honours and substantial gifts. Each of the 24 players received the national award of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON), along with the naira equivalent of $100,000. Members of the 11-man technical crew were awarded $50,000 each.
Additionally, all recipients were granted three-bedroom apartments in the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Housing Estate.
“This is a show of gratitude for putting Nigeria on the global map again through resilience, passion, and victory,” Tinubu stated during the ceremony.
However, not everyone was impressed. The lavish gesture has sparked sharp reactions from various quarters, particularly on social media, where some questioned the priority and fairness of such state-sponsored generosity.
Former presidential candidate and activist Omoyele Sowore was particularly scathing in his criticism.
“Life is brutally unfair to Nigeria Police Force officers!” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “Super Falcons won WAFCON, trained for a year, played for one month, and got $100,000 and houses! Police officers protect the country for 35 years, retire with $1,500 and no homes or medicals. Yet the same leaders awarding these gifts retire with billions and lifetime perks.”
Another user, @ISAACJUNIOR9, echoed the sentiment, admitting he was stunned by the amount. “I thought it was $10,000 until I heard it was actually $100,000. That’s excessive. In these hard times, even $30,000 would have been generous.”
Similarly, @AchilleusChud slammed the move as “wasteful”, especially because the rewards were announced in dollars. “Imagine quoting dollar figures to a suffering nation. Sad,” he posted.
@Ezekwem_Franklin added, “I’m not against rewarding excellence, but for a nation battling poverty, insecurity, and decaying infrastructure, this isn’t the best signal. It feels like an attempt to buy public favour.”
But others saw the gesture differently.
In a swift response to critics, presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga defended the president’s action, drawing a pointed comparison.
“When you remember that Multichoice, the organiser of the BBNaija reality show, is offering the winner a ₦150 million grand prize, you wonder why some Nigerians are unappreciative of President Tinubu’s rewards to the Super Falcons,” Onanuga posted on X.
Supporters argue the reward reflects the magnitude of the Falcons’ achievement on the African stage and serves to inspire excellence in sports.
Still, the debate rages on, with many Nigerians torn between celebrating a historic sports moment and questioning the optics and priorities of governance in economically trying times.
