"After 35yrs of Service, Police Get N2m": Sowore Reacts as Tinubu Rewards Super Falcons $100k Each

"After 35yrs of Service, Police Get N2m": Sowore Reacts as Tinubu Rewards Super Falcons $100k Each

  • President Tinubu awarded ₦152 million and Abuja apartments to each Super Falcons player for winning the 2024 WAFCON, plus ₦76 million to technical staff
  • Tinubu also conferred the national honour of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) on the players and coaches during a reception at the State House
  • Activist Omoyele Sowore criticised the disparity in treatment, saying police officers serve 35 years but retire with only ₦2 million and no proper benefits

FCT, Abuja - President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has rewarded the victorious Super Falcons team with $100, 000 each, following their triumph at the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).

The team, which recently clinched its 10th continental title, was received at the State House in Abuja on Monday, July 28.

Omoyele Sowore fumes as President Tinubu gifts each Super Falcons player $100, 000.
Sowore blasts Tinubu over $100, 000 reward to Super Falcons players. Photo credit: @YeleSowore/@officialABAT
Source: Twitter

During the reception, Tinubu also announced ₦76 million for each member of the technical and backroom staff.

Read also

"Gift galore": Super Eagles stars gift ₦24 million to Super Falcons after 10th WAFCON title

In addition to the financial gifts, he conferred the national honour of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) on the players and coaches. Each player was also granted a three-bedroom apartment in Abuja.

The Nigeria Governors Forum further added ₦10 million to each player’s reward package, bringing the total cash benefit to over ₦150 million.

Sowore criticises the treatment of police officers

Reacting to the announcement, human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, decried what he described as the “brutal unfairness” of Nigeria’s reward system, particularly when compared to the retirement benefits of long-serving police officers.

Sowore wrote in a social media post:

“Life is brutally unfair to Nigeria Police Force officers! Super Falcons won WAFCON, trained for one year, played for one month, and got $100,000 (₦150 million) each and houses!”

He contrasted this with the plight of police officers who, according to him, serve the country for decades but retire with little to show for it.

Read also

“We still rank low”: Peter Obi raises alarm over Tinubu’s external borrowing

“Police officers protected them for decades, escorted them from the airport to Aso Rock, worked for 35 years, retired with just $1,500 (₦2 million), no houses, no medical care, and a small pension,” he stated.
Omoyele Sowore criticises Tinubu’s decision to award Super Falcons $100, 000 each.
Sowore reacts angrily to Tinubu’s $100, 000 reward for Super Falcons stars. Photo credit: @YeleSowore
Source: Facebook

Sowore went further to question the morality of a system that he believes rewards fame and celebrity over years of quiet service, Vanguard reported.

“The same leaders who handed these awards to the Falcons, presidents and governors, walk away with $1 billion in gratuity, lifetime pensions, multiple homes, and full medical care,” he lamented.

Mixed reactions as Tinubu announces gifts for Super Falcons

Previously, Legit.ng reported that President Bola Tinubu has announced a list of gifts for the Super Falcons' team, which includes the country's accolades. This came after their historic triumph at the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco.

While hosting the winning team at the presidential villa on Monday, July 28, Tinubu conferred the National Honour of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) on all 24 players in the team. He also announced the gifting of three-bedroom apartments and a cash gift of $100,000 each.

Read also

Man slams President Tinubu for splashing $100k on each Super Falcons player

Some Nigerians have taken to the comment section of the video to share their view about the development.

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Ezra Ukanwa avatar

Ezra Ukanwa (Politics and Current Affairs Editor) Ezra Ukanwa is a Reuters-certified journalist with over 5 years of professional experience. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Mass Communication from Anchor University, Lagos. Currently, he is the Politics and Current Affairs Editor at Legit.ng, where he brings his expertise to provide incisive, impactful coverage of national events. Ezra was recognized as Best Campus Journalist at the Anchor University Communications Awards in 2019 and is also a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM). Contact him at: ezra.ukanwa@corp.legit.ng or +2349036989944

Page was generated in 2.6589789390564