Senate President Godswill Akpabio on Wednesday redeemed the N100 million pledge to Nigeria’s victorious U-17 women’s national team, the Flamingos.
Akpabio personally presented the cash reward to the team and their officials during a reception at the National Assembly in Abuja, after they were formally presented with the trophy they won at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
The reception came a day after the Senate at plenary passed a resolution to honour the team for making history as the first African country to win the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
Recall that the Flamingos defeated Japan 2-1 in the final on Saturday at the Mohammed VI Football Complex in Rabat, Morocco, to become the first African team to win the competition. They had earlier beaten football giants like Brazil on their way to the title.
Akpabio described the players as the pride of Africa and the world and urged them to remain united and called on the Nigeria Football Federation to keep the team together and develop them for promotion to the senior women’s national team, the Super Falcons.
Speaking in the presence of Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau, other principal officers and lawmakers, Akpabio linked the team’s triumph to the political fortunes of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, and to the re-election of President Bola Tinubu.
“Perhaps, there is a special significance in the timing of your victory, particularly as Nigeria approaches the 2027 general election,” Akpabio said.
