Tinubu govt awards Nafisah Abdullahi, global English prize winner, N200,000 in Abuja
By OUR REPORTER, Abuja
Nafisah had beaten 69 countries’ representative participants to emerge in the academic competition victory that brought honour and respect to Nigeria internationally.
The DEFENDER reports that Tinubu-led government of Nigeria, which dished out several thousands in hard currency for each female footballer of Super Falconer recently, has just gifted winner of the TeenEagle global finals competition, Nafisah Abdullahi, N200,000.
The development smacks of where the administration’s priority focus stands, according to watchers of events, who expressed mixed feelings wondering that the same president, who awarded N152 million dollar equivalent to one female footballer for soccer competition victory, has surprisingly turned round to give a meager amount of N200,000 of no significant hard currency value to another female winner of academic competition exercise, whose victory was defined by knowledge capacity and vast education.
The award was presented by the Minister of education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, at a ceremony in Abuja, on Thursday August 28, 2025.
Nafisah had beaten 69 countries’ representative participants to emerge in the academic competition victory that brought honour and respect to Nigeria internationally.
Recall that the same government had earlier awarded N152 million ($100,000) each as cash rewards to Nigeria’s Super Falcons after their 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) victory.
The President also conferred national honours on them, and a similar gesture was made to the players of Nigeria’s Women’s Basketball Team after they won the Afrobasket Trophy.
The Nigerian presidency spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, defended this gesture.
Taking to his verified X (formerly Twitter) account, Onanuga slammed critics who argued that the rewards were either too much or not enough, questioning their sense of value.
He compared the presidential gesture to the N150 million grand prize awarded to the winner of the Big Brother Naija (BBNaija) reality show.
He wrote, “When you remember that Multichoice, the organiser of the BBNaija reality show, is offering the winner N150 million grand prize, you wonder why some Nigerians are unappreciative of President Tinubu’s rewards to the Super Falcons.
“President Tinubu has rewarded excellence, creativity, hard work, soccer artistry, and the undying Nigerian spirit.”
Meanwhile, a few days ago, Falcons’ star player, Rasheedat Ajibade, alleged that the team had yet to receive the promised monies and benefits made to them by the Tinubu government.
“We have not received our money, but hopefully it will be paid. They have not paid all the promises, we have not received anything,” she had said.
Reacting, the National Sports Commission (NSC) has dismissed her claims, insisting that all entitlements were cleared before the team’s last game against Morocco.
