Director general of the National Sports Commission (NSC) Bukola Olopade has said the Super Falcons have received their tournament bonuses, except for a few players affected by banking issues.
Speaking on Arise News TV on Friday, Mr Olopade said he confirmed the payments with the team’s captain, Rasheedat Ajibade and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
“I have spoken to Ajibade directly and I have in my phone messages between Ajibade and Mallam Shehu Dikko, the chairman of the Sports Commission, where she vehemently denied ever saying their bonuses have not been paid.
“I know authoritatively that all their bonuses, without going into figures, have been paid,” Olopade stated.
“I have confirmed from NFF and I have confirmed from Ajibade, but for only one or two whose accounts have issues with the CBN, all of their monies have been paid in terms of the bonuses.”
Olopade said it was not correct to suggest otherwise.
“To now say the bonuses have not been paid is not true. I don’t think we should put the young woman (Ajibade) in the predicament of denying or saying she said something she didn’t say, when in the real sense, the money is in their accounts.”
On the $100,000 gift and three-bedroom apartments promised by President Bola Tinubu after the team’s 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) victory, Olopade said the government was committed to fulfilling the pledge.
“On the promise Mr President made, we need to stop playing politics and games with everything, it will be paid. A few days ago, Mallam Shehu Dikko was still talking to the Minister for Housing and I sat down with the gentleman in charge of the Renewed Hope Homes, and work has already started on how they will get the apartments in record time,” he said.
Olopade added, “Look, we are in a government that fulfills promises; a whole lot of things have changed. When we tell athletes ‘A’ will be given, they get ‘A’. We don’t play games with their remuneration, we don’t play games with them going for competitions. We are quick to say this is what we can do, go out and make the country proud.”
President Tinubu hosted the Falcons at the Presidential Villa on July 28, to celebrate their record 10th WAFCON title.
He announced a $100,000 reward, a three-bedroom apartment and national honours for each player.
On Wednesday, Rasheedat Ajibade said in an interview with that the team had not received “any of the promises,” which led to public debate about the government’s commitment.
