By Abdull-azeez Ahmed Kadir
The Women African Cup of Nations WAFCON has come and gone, but it has left the nations with a lot to talk about.
Our girls were two goals down for the full first half. But the change room talk changed that in the second half with the Falcons equalising and with less than 7 minutes to the final whistle, winding the winning goal into the back of the net to defeat the Moroccans.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu welcomed the team and rewarded the players with mouthwatering financial and residential gift, in addition to a national honour of OON. The coaching crew got 50 thousand dollars each also in addition.
The Governors Forum also followed suit with ten million naira each to the girls.
For this writer, it is a national pride. The GIRLS always seem to succeed with national favor, where the BOYS seem to always fail. Since the finals, I never tired of rewatching the highlights of the games, especiallythe final.
The nation has been in celebratory mood, fetting the girls. But even at that, the coaching crew got less attention. Even the presidential monetary gift, saw the coaching crew getting half of what the players got.
Ironically, Coach Justin Madugu; cool, calm, calculative and collected, the man from Adamawa State, seems not to get the mentions deserving of his hardwork that led to this victory.
The Falcons conceded all but 3 goals in the tournament. It recorded many bests also; chiefly the coach and goalkeeper of the tournament.
Aside Coach Justin Madugu, Shehu Dikko deserved a mention also in the plan that saw these feats.
For Northern Nigeria, that is where it ends. Except you want to add the duo of the female ministers; Hanatu Musa Musawa and Imaan Suleiman who went in the Federal Government delegation to cheer the team.
11 of these players were debutants and the entire team could not boast of Northern Nigeria females players’ presence. Sad.
Time it was when the North was the breeding ground for sports men and women. Today, it has not only taken the passenger’s seat in this, it is in complete doldrum. The North is at its lowest nadir of youth and sports development. Yet, it boast of millions of youth population. This is not far from the near absence of human development.
Of the 19 Northern states, it is herculean to name one that has prioritise youth and sports development, less female sports.
Kaduna used to be the Headquarters of identifying and discovery of young sport talents. But not anymore. That feat and enthusiasm seems to have died with Sir Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa as a Government and ageing with Honourable Hon Sabo Babayaro.
I am an advocate of national and patriotic altruism. Who cares where those making Nigeria proud comes from or what language they speak. By the way, some of the outstanding players especially among the debutants had the choice of playing for other more endowed nations where some were born or based, but chose Nigeria up and above those.
Many are raising eyebrows by the fetting of the team by the presidency. But Imagine, aside national pride and honour, what difference 150 million naira would make in the life of any young girl and her family with concomitant rippling effects. Were I the President, I would have done even more for the team.
What pride is more than wearing your national colour on the international scene. What greater pride is above representing your nation. What better pleasure than getting a presidential handshake, a national honour and global recognition for standing tall for father’s land in mother’s tongue.
Sadly in Northern Nigeria, we are always quick to use religion and culture as barrier for fledgling female arts. The reason why even in performing and screen arts, the females are always at the receiving end of the hard sticks.
Yet, we have females in large herds as street hawkers, out of school, struggling divorced mothers, and even involved in many other vices that I can’t mention here.
For WAFCON, the FALCONS have again for the 10th time, hoist the flag higher, swell our national pride, renewed our hopes rightly without politics, but the North’s negligence shone very dark in bright opportunities.
Here, blame not President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, but the nineteen Northern Governors of both APC and PDP, and the FCT administration who see youth and sports development to be accorded the right priority to contribute to national pride and development.
For the record, APC, the ruling political party with majority of members at the National Assembly, boast of 14 Governors out of the 19 with 5 in the North West and North Central respectively, and 3 in the North East. While PDP boast of 5 with 1 each in the North West and North Central, and 3 in the North East.
For the North, we are but our own greatest undoing and the Governors lead in this retrogressive acts, with no pride nor foresight.
But it is never too late. It is time to make nigh. A stitch in time, they say saves nine.
This is a wake up call to the Northern Governors, politicians, leaders and the well endowed materially.
