While the current Super Falcons rightly received national honours and promises of cash and houses for their 2025 WAFCON victory, the Nigerian government has a profound moral obligation to also reward the pioneering former players who built the team’s legacy with little more than sweat, sacrifice, and forgotten injuries.
By Nij Martin
The images were powerful and symbolic: a victorious Super Falcons team, fresh from a record-extending 10th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) victory, receiving national honors and unprecedented rewards from President Bola Tinubu. It was a landmark moment for women’s football in Nigeria, a long-overdue gesture meant to signal that their immense sacrifice and glory were finally valued at the highest level.
Yet, this well-deserved appreciation has inadvertently opened an old wound, sparking a fresh and urgent debate about historical justice. As the current stars bask in well-earned accolades, a chorus of voices from the past—the United Ex-Super Falcons of Nigeria Worldwide—is rightly asking a poignant question: what about us? The argument for rewarding these former players is not just about sentiment; it is a compelling case based on justice, recognition, and the need to fully honor Nigeria’s sporting legacy.
According to PUNCH NEWSPAPER, Ex-Super Falcons stars, including Kikelomo Ajayi, Prisca Emeafu, and Patience Avre-Odeli, commended President Tinubu’s gesture of rewarding the 2025 WAFCON-winning team with cash, land, and honours, noting it has inspired a new generation. However, they appealed for overdue recognition and medical support for past players, many of whom suffered injuries, hardships, and neglect despite bringing glory to Nigeria.
First, this is a simple matter of correcting a historic injustice. These women were the pioneers who laid the foundation for the dominance we celebrate today. They wore the green and white with pride, won trophies, and put Nigerian football on the global map, yet they did so in an era of profound neglect. Former vice-captain Prisca Emeafu starkly revealed the bitter truth of their era, stating, “Some of us won AWC — now WAFCON — but never received a dime from government, the NFF, or the sports ministry.” They played for love of country alone, while their male counterparts often received bonuses and fanfare. Rewarding them now would be a formal acknowledgment of this oversight and a long-awaited “thank you” for services rendered.
Secondly, many of these ex-players are living with the physical and financial scars of their service to the nation. Their sacrifices were not just metaphorical. Emeafu’s story is a heartbreaking example of the abandonment they faced. She detailed a traumatic injury, stating, “I suffered a severe leg dislocation when armed robbers stormed the Falcons camp… I was disfigured, yet never honoured or appreciated.” She now requires a significant sum for surgery—a cost that is insurmountable for many who were never compensated for their careers. These are not athletes asking for a handout; they are national heroes seeking support for injuries sustained in the line of duty, a basic provision afforded to athletes in any truly committed sporting nation.
Finally, extending these rewards is a strategic investment in the future of Nigerian sports. The current Falcons were inspired by those who came before them. By honoring the past heroines, the government sends an unambiguous message to the next generation: your country will value and care for you, not just in the glow of victory but for a lifetime. It builds a sustainable culture of respect and support that transcends the current administration. As former captain Kikelomo Ajayi noted, “The nation stands to gain from this initiative,” urging the presidency to extend the honour to past heroines. US-based Patience Avre-Odeli also lauded Mallam Shehu Dikko, Chairman of the National Sports Commission, for advising Tinubu on sports development. “United Ex-Super Falcons players monitored Mallam Dikko’s comments at a youth rendezvous in Abuja, and we were impressed with his vision… For us, it’s a new dawn for Nigerian sports,” she said.
The Tinubu administration has a golden opportunity to do something truly transformative. It has already set a powerful precedent with the current team. Now, it can go a step further and complete the story. By working with the National Sports Commission, the government can create a framework to honor these legends with national honors, medical support, and a financial grant. This is more than just a payment; it is about legacy. Honouring the ex-Super Falcons would cement President Tinubu’s sports administration as one that doesn’t just celebrate present wins but also honours past glory and sacrifices. It would be a definitive act that proves Nigeria truly values all its heroes, not just the ones holding the current trophy.