Ex-Super Falcons star, Maureen Madu
Five-time Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) champion, Maureen Madu, has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to recognize the contributions of veteran Super Falcons players.
Speaking to journalists in Awka on Sunday, Madu, who played over 100 matches for the national team, said such a gesture would cement Tinubu’s reputation as a supporter of women in sports.
“I commend President Tinubu for his generous rewards to the 2025 Super Falcons team,” Madu stated, referencing the president’s announcement of a 3-bedroom flat and a $100,000 cash reward for each player of the 2025 WAFCON-winning squad during a reception in Abuja, as reported by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
However, Madu, now a coach and operator of the Maureen Madu Kiddies Football Academy in Anambra, emphasized that veteran players who laid the foundation for Nigeria’s success deserve recognition too.
“We were trailblazers, winning laurels from the first to the ninth WAFCON, yet many of us faced hardships, including being sacked by our clubs for representing Nigeria,” she said. “This 10th title didn’t just happen—it was built on our sacrifices.”
Madu, who also won WAFCON as a coach, expressed gratitude for Tinubu’s support for women’s football, noting, “His encouragement of the girl child will inspire more girls to pursue football as a career.”
She added a plea for the president to extend a token of appreciation to pioneer players, saying, “It doesn’t have to match what our younger sisters received, but acknowledging our efforts would show that our labor was not in vain.”
