By Jacob Ajom

Veteran sports administrator and a Minister of God, Reverend Moses Iloh has called on Nigerian women to rise up and claim their rights, following the poor treatment the Nigerian government has meted on the senior women’s national football team, the Super Falcons that won their 8th African title in Cameroon last week.

The Super Falcons beat their Cameroonian counterparts 1-0 last weekend in Yaounde to lift their 8th continental title in ten attempts. Sadly, they are yet to be paid a dime of their match bonuses and camp allowances. They have since embarked on a sit-in protest, insisting they will continue until their money was paid.

Falcons

Iloh, who spoke on our hot line Thursday believes the Nigeria women team were being treated that way because of their sex. “I feel very sad and angry that this government is treating these girls this way, after winning their eighth African title. It is an enviable record that would be difficult to match. They are our heroines and mothers of the nation. They should be honoured,” Ilo insisted.

He carpeted the Muhammadu Buhari-led APC government for not recognising the social and economic roles sports play in nation building, adding, “sports, indeed football is a unifying factor, it instils discipline among the youth and brings about youth empowerment. It is so annoying. Government must find a way of paying the Falcons and honour them. It should not just end with paying them.”

The former President of the Nigeria Cycling Federation insisted that after settling the players, government must also apologise to the players. He said,”they deserve an unreserved apology from government.

“It is a matter of neglecting the women folk. Nigerian women must wake up and claim their rights.”

Iloh expressed surprise that the Nigeria Football Federation always complain about paucity of funds. “They(the NFF) should learn from other countries where football is played. Footballers are some of the richest athletes in the world. Football is a viable industry and the NFF should go and find out how it is done in other climes.”