*Victory, A Life-changing Experience For Many
*More Money Expected From Firms, Prominent Nigerians, Others
*Foreign Football Contracts Underway Too
By Felix Durumbah, Abuja
In what amounts to a clear message to many of the country’s youth involved in internet fraud (popularly known as yahoo yahoo) and other financial crimes, President Bola Tinubu today announced a cash reward of N100m to each of the teenage girls, the Flamingos, who won the just-concluded FIFA U-17 World Cup in Morooco.
They beat hard-fighting Japan 2-1 in the final, after previously despatching the likes of highly-rated Brazil and others en route the final.
The Flamingos’ feat was the first by any Nigerian or African team in the age group category.
Tinubu’s largesse was received with huge applause by the overjoyed teenagers who had deployed their talents to conquer the world and proved to many of their misguided peers that indeed honest labour can fetch one massive financial returns and genuine global recognition — with peace of mind to boot.
What’s more, the girls demonstrated that honest work can bring such person in direct contact with kings, tiptop leaders and garner a groundswell of massive tons of public goodwill from which much more money than ‘yahoo’ can spin, will cascade in.
First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, who stood in for the President, announced the N100m windfall when she received the players and their coaches at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Tinubu hailed the teen champions, saying Nigeria was proud of their achievement.
The cash reward, the President added, would be saved in trust for the girls in designated banks.
People&Politics gathered that the gesture is due to their young age even as the bank accounts will be in their individual names,with the girls’ access to the accounts maturing on specified dates.
The reward was not limited to the girls alone, Tinubu said, as head coach of the team, Akeem Busari, will also receive N100 million, while members of the technical crew smile home with N50 million each.
People&Politics was told that there is still more largesse coming the way of the girls as companies, prominent Nigerians and other appreciative groups are said to be gearing up to decorate them for doing the country proud and returning it to the winners’ podium in global football – something that had saddened many soccer-loving Nigerians and blighted the Tinubu administration, with some superstitious citizens, falsely, muttering things about ‘ follow come bad luck’.
It was also learned that foreign scouts have been trailing the girls since they qualified for the World Cup final and there are indications that some of them will soon end up in the lucrative foreign leagues.
Indeed, the mass of rewards in which the girls will be literally ensconced stands as a testament to how honest work can positively transform lives, possibly generations, as against the jumpy, fear-filled, look-behind-your-back lifestyle of fraudsters and their ilk.
*PHOTO CAPTION: The Flamingos.
