NSC Chairman, DG, Assure President Tinubu Will  Reward United Ex-Super Falcons Soon, Says Patience Avre-Odeli

By Harry Awurumibe, Editor-in-Chief, Abuja

As the euphoria of the presidential reception hosted by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the Super Falcons and D’Tigress who recently won  their 10th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON ) and five straight AfroBasket championships titles are yet to die down, the umbrella body of the retired Nigerian women’s footballers, United Ex-Super Falcons have revealed that the federal government may graciously extend the same largesse given to their compatriots to the group.

This much is contained in a press statement made available to the media by the spokesperson of United Ex-Super Falcons, Patience Avre-Odeli, who disclosed that top officials of the National Sports Commission (NSC) have promised to look into their appeal for presidential recognition and rewards.

The statement read in parts: “Following our collective appeals to the federal government to redeem the several unfulfilled promises made to the former players of Nigeria’s senior women’s football team, Super Falcons, who won nine trophies for the country in the past editions of CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), there are indications that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu may graciously host  United Ex-Super Falcons at the State House, Presidential Villa Abuja like he did for the current  Super Falcons and D’Tigress who won WAFCON and AfroBasket championships respectively.

United States-based Patience Avre-Odeli,  speaking on behalf of United Ex-Super Falcons, has revealed that the Chairman of National Sports Commission (NSC), Mallam Shehu Dikko, and the Director General, Hon. Bukola Olopade have assured that they have taken steps to ensure that the President is made aware of the demands of the retired women’s national team players.

“I am happy to disclose that  I, on behalf of United Ex-Super Falcons, have had fruitful discussions with the NSC Chairman (Dikko) and DG (Olopade) and they have assured us that our demands for adequate compensation by the President of Federal Republic of Nigeria for the honours we brought to Nigeria in our active years and which past governments failed to recognise us”, Avre-Odeli said.

According to the former Nigerian star attacker: “It must be remembered that my generation of Super Falcons lay the foundation stone of the success the current players are building upon and the sacrifices we made should not be forgotten so soon”.

Recall the Super Falcons through the retired players were the first women’s football team to win five straight WAFCON titles in 1998, 2000, 20002, 2004, and 2006, with the bulk of United Ex-Super Falcons featuring for Nigeria in the first five tournaments held alternately in Nigeria and South Africa before Nigeria won four more WAFCON titles including the nineth prize in 2018 in Ghana before the 10th trophy win  in Morocco by the current Super Falcons”.