Honour in sports, dishonour in governance: Why Tinubu got it wrong

The Super Falcons’ triumph at the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) was nothing short of glorious. They demonstrated grit, resilience, and national pride. Qualities every Nigerian yearns to see reflected not just in sports, but in governance, leadership, and service delivery. We cheered, we cried, and we held our breath as they staged […]

The Super Falcons’ triumph at the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) was nothing short of glorious. They demonstrated grit, resilience, and national pride. Qualities every Nigerian yearns to see reflected not just in sports, but in governance, leadership, and service delivery. We cheered, we cried, and we held our breath as they staged a stunning comeback against Morocco to lift the trophy for the 10th time. They truly made the nation proud. But now that the celebration dust has settled, we must ask ourselves, at what cost?

The federal government’s decision to splash over N4.952 billion in cash and housing gifts on the Super Falcons and their technical team raises serious concerns. This is not about denying athletes their well-deserved recognition; it is about the timing, the scale, and the insensitivity of such largesse in a country buckling under the weight of economic hardship, insecurity, and deteriorating public services. The message is loud and clear: Nigeria is rewarding excellence, but it is also failing its most critical sectors.

Let us be clear. The problem is not about honouring the Super Falcons. It is about how we chose to do it, and what it reflects about our priorities as a nation. Across the world, winning national teams are often rewarded. However, very few struggling economies with staggering debt burdens, a collapsing education system, and a brain-drained health sector would dare such extravagance. In most countries, even when generous, national honors are calibrated to reflect the economic reality of the times. But in Nigeria, it appears we are running a government that celebrates while the house burns.

The report by Daily Trust highlights a troubling disparity, the total cash gift given to the Falcons could pay the monthly wages of 16,000 doctors, 66,000 teachers, or 78,000 police constables. These are not just abstract numbers. They represent real lives, real livelihoods, and real consequences. This is a country where qualified doctors flee the system in droves under the ‘japa syndrome’ because their N250,000 monthly salary can no longer cover transport, rent, and food. A country where teachers earn less than the national minimum wage, and yet are expected to shape the future generation. And police officers, those tasked with protecting lives, can barely survive on their monthly earnings.

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Nigeria currently ranks among the lowest in human capital development in sub-Saharan Africa. Our health system is on life support, our public schools are underfunded and often shut down due to strikes, and our security forces remain ill-equipped to deal with the complexities of today’s threats. Yet, somehow, we have found the funds to reward 35 individuals with almost $5 million in cash and housing. This is not patriotism; it is performance politics, and an exercise in misplaced priorities.

President Tinubu’s speech praising the Falcons as a symbol of the “unyielding Nigerian spirit” is emotionally resonant, but governance should not be run on emotions alone. It must be rooted in strategy, sustainability, and an understanding of opportunity cost. Every naira spent extravagantly is a naira not spent on maternal health clinics, rural schools, or tackling malnutrition, which still ravages children across the country.

Yes, sports bring people together, and yes, victories give us something to believe in, but national pride should not come at the expense of public accountability. Nigeria could have honoured the Falcons with national honours, modest cash gifts, public appreciation, and long-term support for their development without spending like an oil-rich kingdom untouched by hardship. Let us not pretend that a three-bedroom house per player is what sustains sporting excellence; what sustains it is grassroots investment, good sports infrastructure, and career support beyond moments of fame.

To our champions, the Super Falcons, congratulations on Mission X. You gave your best, and your country is proud. But in truth, you didn’t win for a token, you played for your flag, your families, and for the millions who cannot afford match tickets but still found joy in your victory. You deserve honour, yes, but not at the expense of equity and national sanity.

This is the kind of tone the government should embrace: measured celebration, rational reward, and responsible governance. The President’s gesture may be well-intended, but it sends the wrong signal that glitz and glamour matter more than governance and growth. We cannot keep running a government that prioritises headlines over health systems, and photo ops over policy reforms.

Nigeria needs to recalibrate. We are not saying don’t reward success, we are saying do it with wisdom, within the purview of national understanding and economic sensibility. Let every sector feel the reward of service, not just the fortunate few who make the news. That is how we build a country that is not just proud, but also just, fair, and functional.

Until then, the Super Falcons may have won a title for the country, but the government lost a chance to win the people’s trust.

 

 Zanna Samaila is a Governance and Accountability Advocate. He writes from Damaturu