President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Monday fulfilled the promises he made of giving houses, plots of land and national honours as gifts to the Super Eagles after they won silver at the AFCON 2023 held in Cote d’Ivoire in January/February 2024.
Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Malam Shehu Dikko, led a Federal Government delegation to the Super Eagles camp in Fez, Morroco, where he presented the title documents for the houses, certificates of national honour and confirmation of the plots of land in Abuja to the elated and grateful players and team officials from the class of 2024 comprising 45 persons.
The delegation consisted of a representative from the Presidency, Mrs Nathan-Mash; Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi; Chairman of Senate Committee on Sports, Senator Abdul Ahmed Ningi; Chairman of the House Committee on Sports Hon. Kabiru Amadu; Malam Saleh Ahmadu and Nigerian Embassy officials in Morocco among others.
At the event, Dikko reiterated the President’s commitment towards athletes’ welfare and a reward scheme aimed at motivating athletes to higher levels of excellence and explained that after all due processes are completed the rewards are now being delivered to the team as approved by the President.
He said: “What we have done here today is a demonstration of the shared prosperity disposition of Mr. President. The era of unfulfilled promises to the athletes is gone.
“As I am talking to you, the houses and National Honours Mr. President promised to the D’Tigreses and Super Falcons are ready for collection and payment of the naira equivalent of $100,000 USD promised to each of the players is being processed by the Minister of Finance and Accountant-General of the Federation for payment direct to the players’ accounts.”
The NSC chairman also thanked the Minister of Housing and Urban Development Architect, Ahmed Dangiwa, the Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Zephaniah Jisalo, the Minister of the FCT, Nyeson Wike, and the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of Economy, Wale Edun, for collaborating closely with the NSC in delivering the presidential awards.
He added, “To whom much is given, much is expected. We want the Super Eagles and indeed, every Nigerian athlete to know that they have a President who cares and won’t allow their labour to be in vain in clear alignment to the Renewed Hope Agenda and Shared Prosperity Vision of the President.
“They should not relent in their efforts to bring honour to the nation as they should be rest assured the President would always be in the corner while the NSC would continue to work to ensure it provides the enablers for their success to the glory of Nigeria.”
