Duro Ikhazuagbe
Special Adviser to the President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, has defended the recent cash reward showered on Super Falcons for winning the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations for a record 10th time.
Super Falcons came back from two goals down to defeat hosts Morocco 3-2 to win the trophy in Rabat on Saturday night.
In appreciation for the honour the Super Falcons have done the country, President Tinubu splashed $100,000 (in Naira equivalent of N153million) on each of the 23 players while their coaches and backroom staff equally got $50,000 each. In addition to national honour of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON), each of the recipients also got a three bedroom apartment in the Renewed Hope Estate in the Federal Capital, Abuja.
However, in reaction to criticism of the reward on social media by some Nigerians, Mr Onanuga in a post shared on his verified X (formerly Twitter) handle, @aonanuga1956, 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.
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