The Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, is in the news for the wrong reason yet again after Secretary-General of the Federation Internationale de Football Association, FIFA, Ms Fatma Samoura told Super Falcons of Nigeria that it is because of players like them that FIFA decided to pay prize money directly to players.
Samoura who worked in Abuja for the United Nations for years before she joined the global football ruling body visited the Falcons in Australia after their 0-0 draw with the Republic of Ireland in their dressing room saying she knows “it has been tough” and that they had to “face the reality of Nigeria.”
She added that for the first time, the prize money would be paid to the players because of such realities.
“It is because of you that for the first time in the history of FIFA, the FIFA women world cup prize money will be paid directly to you, the players,” Samoura said, amid cheers from the nine-time African champions.
A former Arsenal player and football pundit Ian Wright also sent a message to the Nigeria Football Federation after the Super Falcons earned a historic win over the co-hosts of the tournament, Australia last Thursday.
The Falcons even threatened to boycott the first match against Canada after Coach Randy Waldrum accused the NFF of embezzling the money from FIFA to prepare the players for the World Cup. The NFF simply waved him off describing the American gaffer as arrant failure. It took the intervention of the House of Representatives to douse the tension at the Falcons camp.
After a stunning win against hosts Australia, Arsenal legend, Wright took to social media to lampoon the NFF in a message of support for the Nigerian players.
“Pay them!!!!!” he wrote, lending his voice to the NFF’s continuing dispute between players and governing body.
According to Samoura, the Falcons feat brought joy to women’s football as a whole with their elegance and self-assuredness on the pitch, as well as African women’s football and the African girl-child. “I must say that I am proud of you. As you know, I am the first woman to be Secretary General of FIFA since the organisation was founded in 1904, and I am also an African. So, I am easily excited by any accomplishment that glorifies women’s football and African football,”
The FIFA scribe who was in company with Nigeria’s leader of the delegation, Chief Felix Anyansi-Agwu and others, described the Super Falcons as the “best team of Africa”. She said their performance would inspire other African teams at the tournament. “You have won one match here, as Morocco and Zambia, but you are the only team that has made it to the knock-out stage yet. I am also excited because when FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced my name as the new FIFA Secretary-General, I was in Nigeria working for the United Nations. So, Nigeria is a second home for me.
“You should continue to believe in yourselves and play as a team, and be ready to lift the African flag higher in this tournament.”
According to Osasu Obayiuwana, a British-Nigerian journalist, who posted the video on Twitter, Samoura had mandated FIFA’s Director for Africa, Gelson Fernandes, to ensure that the players received the money as she would be leaving soon.
FIFA had announced that every player participating in the World Cup group stage will earn $30,000.
The match bonuses will increase to $60,000 in the second round of the competition.
The Falcons have qualified for the round of 16 after finishing second in group B. Every player on the team will be earning at least $60,000 for the feat.
Nigeria is billed to take on England in the second-round contest on Monday
NFF President, Ibrahim Gusau had shamelessly defended the $10,000 monthly salary of the General Secretary of the federation, Mohammed Sanusi, even at a time the Falcons were poised for a showdown with Nigeria.
