- Praises women as Nigeria’s sports heroines
- You’re inspiring generations unborn — First Lady
- Sports sector set for greater glory — Dikko
BY EDMOND ODOK – As expected, President Bola Tinubu has splashed handsome reward packages on the victorious senior national women’s basketball team, D’Tigress for their impressive showing at the just-concluded AfroBasket championship.
Nigeria defeated Mali 78–64 in the final at the Palais des Sports de Treichville in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, on Sunday night, to secure their fifth consecutive title and seventh AfroBasket title overall. The impressive victory reaffirms D’Tigress’ dominance in African women’s basketball with an unbroken winning streak that began in 2017.
The package includes $100,000 to each of the players, $50,000 each for the 11-man coaching and technical team, and bedroom flats at Renewed Hope Estate for every member of the team and coaching staff. Additionally, the President conferred on the players and technical crew the prestigious national honour of Officer, Order of the Niger (OON).
The D’Tigress’ recognition is coming on the heels of a similar state reception held recently by Mr President for the Super Falcons, after their record-extending 10th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) victory in Rabat, Morocco.
Vice President Kashim Shettima announced the presidential rewards at a special reception held in their honour at the State House Banquet Hall, Abuja, on Monday evening, with the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu; wife of the Vice President, Hajiya Nana Shettima; and the Chief of Staff to the President, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, among dignitaries at the welcome party.
The African basketball champions and the coaching crew, led by the Head Coach, Rena Wakama, had arrived at the forecourt of the President’s office a few minutes before 5 pm and were ushered into the New Banquet Hall of the State House..
Speaking during the reception ceremony, Vice President Shettima, who represented the President, said: “You have brought great pride to Nigeria. Your excellence on the court has once again put our nation on the global map for sporting greatness.”
He announced national honours and monetary rewards on behalf of President Tinubu, thus: “National honours will be awarded to the team, coach, and technical staff. Each player will receive $100,000, and the coach and technical team will receive $50,000.”
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has shown leadership by recognising and rewarding our daughters who have excelled on the continental stage.”
He saluted the team’s resilience and spirit in the face of challenges, saying: “My dear daughters, you fought back from behind in the past quarter, not with panic, but with poise. ’You wore the green and white not just as clothes, but as a symbol of unity, and now you wear the crown as kings of African basketball for the fifth consecutive time.”
While acknowledging Coach Rena Wakama’s inspirational leadership, the Vice President said, “You represent the evolution of leadership in Nigerian sports. Your quiet strength and historic achievements have shattered ceilings and inspired countless young girls nationwide who now know that no dream is too bold for a Nigerian woman. You indeed deserve your award as the best coach in Africa and the world.”
He also highlighted individual brilliance within the team, praising Captain Amy Okonkwo and Ezinne Kalu, saying, “To Amy Okonkwo, the tournament’s Most Valuable Player, and Ezinne Kalu, the top scorer in the final, you have elevated the entire team. Most importantly, you did not play for yourselves; you played for and won with Nigeria.”
Senator Shettima, who reflected on the broader significance of Nigerian women in sports, further poured encomiums on them, saying: “Nigerian women have never failed the nation in sports. From the Super Falcons dominating on the world stage, to our record-breaking athletes on the track, and now building a basketball dynasty, our women have consistently made us proud. They have shown the world that when opportunity meets preparation, Nigerian excellence is inevitable.”
Similarly, the Vice President commended the National Sports Commission (NSC) and the Nigerian Basketball Federation (NBBF) for their tireless efforts and hard work in elevating the sport to a high-performance level.
He said, “On behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, I want to extend special appreciation to the National Sports Commission under the leadership of Mallam Alabi. Their renewed focus on athlete welfare, institutional reform, grassroots support, and performance-based development is already yielding results.”
Vice President Shettima also lauded the NBBF’s Chairman, Malam Ahmadu Musa Kida, and the NNPC Limited, for his dedication, saying, “Malam Musa is personally known to me, and I have witnessed the personal resources he has invested in developing basketball in this great nation.”
Also speaking at the reception, the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, expressed “a deep sense of pride and joy” in the team’s remarkable achievement, saying, “This victory is not just a win on the court; it is a resounding statement of hard work, excellence, and national pride. This is a moment that will forever inspire generations of Nigerian girls and women to dream big, boldly and pursue greatness.”
While highlighting the core values behind the team’s success, Senator Tinubu said, “It is a clear indication that hard work and teamwork are what it takes to succeed.”
The First Lady, who noted the significance of their victory at a time when Nigeria was already celebrating sporting excellence, lauded the players not only as athletes but as “ambassadors of sports of a great nation”.
She said, “Your victory comes at a time when Nigeria is basking in the glory of sporting excellence following the Super Falcons’ recent victory. We haven’t really gotten over that, and then this one. We are so glad to be able to celebrate you as well.’’
Responding on behalf of D’Tigress, the team Captain, Amy Okonkwo, said: “Mr. President, represented by the Vice President, our dear mother. I just want to say, on behalf of the D’Tigress, that we are so, so, so, so thankful to be here today.”
Emphasising the honour of representing Nigeria and continuing their legacy of excellence, Amy said, “I’m thankful that we get to represent our country. We’re thankful to be able to continue our excellence and support the gift that God gave us.”
In his remarks, an elated Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Shehu Dikko, praised the team and described their win as a milestone not only for basketball but also for women’s sport nationwide.
He said, “I stood here last Monday with pride and profound joy to celebrate yet another glorious chapter in the history of Nigerian sports, courtesy of our exceptional women’s football team, Super Falcons.”
