President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, have celebrated Nigeria’s Under-17 women’s national team, the Flamingos, after the girls emerged as world champions following a hard-fought 2-1 win over Japan in the final of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup decided yesterday in Morocco.
The encounter, played on Saturday night at Pitch 3 of the Mohammed VI Football Complex in Rabat, saw Nigeria score twice through Awawu Bashiru and Oluebube Umejiaku, while Japan got a consolation through Fuki Ito late in the second half, but the Flamingos held firm to clinch the trophy for the first time in the nation’s history.
President Tinubu, who was said to have received the delightful news shortly after concluding political and official engagements in Akwa Ibom and Rivers states, described the triumph as a moment of immense national pride and a watershed moment for women’s football on the African continent as a whole.
In a statement released yesterday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President said the victory of the young girls has once again reminded the world of Nigeria’s talent, resilience and ability to excel against all odds on the global stage.
The statement quoted the President as saying: “What wonderful news to return home to! Our young girls have conquered the world and given Nigerians everywhere another reason to celebrate our great country. To our gallant Flamingos, I say congratulations. You have shown courage, discipline, determination and the Nigerian spirit of never giving up.”
Tinubu explained that he closely monitored the team’s progress all through the tournament, adding that after their impressive semi-final triumph over Brazil, the players had vowed to return home with the cup, a pledge they have now fulfilled to the admiration of over 200 million Nigerians.
He further stated: “I followed your journey throughout this tournament, and after your semi-final victory, you promised to bring the trophy home. Today, you have kept that promise. You believed in yourselves, fought for one another and carried our nation’s flag to the very top of the world.”
The Nigerian leader stressed that the importance of the victory transcends football, noting that it will motivate and inspire countless young girls in schools, academies and communities across Nigeria who nurse ambitions of becoming great in their chosen careers and fields.
According to him: “Your victory is an inspiration to millions of young Nigerian girls who dream of achieving greatness. You have shown them that with hard work, opportunity and determination, they too can reach the highest levels of achievement. You have shown that the Nigerian girl-child is limitless.”
President Tinubu continued: “Today, Nigeria celebrates you. You have written your names in gold, and your country is immensely proud of you. History will never forget you because you are the first set of Nigerian girls to win the U-17 Women’s World Cup and the first African team to achieve this feat.”
He also extended his commendation to the technical crew headed by Bankole Olowookere, the board and management of the Nigeria Football Federation, the National Sports Commission and other critical stakeholders whose contributions, planning and sacrifices made the success possible in far away North Africa.
The President reserved special praise for the two goal scorers in the final, Awawu Bashiru who broke the deadlock in the 39th minute with a powerful effort and Oluebube Umejiaku who doubled the advantage in the 47th minute, while applauding the entire squad for their unity, doggedness and tactical maturity.
The Flamingos’ path to the title was far from smooth. The team began its campaign on a disappointing note, losing 2-1 to Poland in its first group game, a result that put their qualification hopes in serious doubt and drew criticism from some sections of the football community.
However, the girls bounced back in spectacular fashion, defeating Puerto Rico 2-0 in their second group match and then stunning the football world by beating defending world champions North Korea, Korea DPR, 3-1 in the last group game to advance to the knockout phase as one of the best second-placed teams.
At the Round of 16 stage, Nigeria edged past Mexico 2-1 in a keenly contested encounter, before showing great composure to beat Venezuela in the quarter-finals, where Azeezat Oduntan converted an 89th-minute penalty that sealed their passage to the semi-finals of the competition for the second time in a row.
In the semi-final, the Flamingos produced arguably their best performance of the tournament, dismantling five-time finalists Brazil 3-1 to book a historic first-ever final appearance, a match that convinced many that the Nigerian girls were now ready to conquer the world.
Saturday’s final victory over Japan therefore meant that Nigeria has now become the first country in the world to lose its opening game at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup and still go ahead to win the title, a record that highlights the team’s mental strength, character and never-say-die attitude throughout the competition.
The feat also makes Nigeria the first African nation to win the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup since its inception in 2008, and the first African country to win the U-17 World Cup in both male and female categories, following the Golden Eaglets’ five triumphs in 1985, 1993, 2007, 2013 and 2015.
For Japan, the loss was painful as they were eyeing a second world title after winning in 2014 and finishing second in 2010 and 2016, but they were undone by a more clinical, organized and determined Nigerian team that took its chances and defended resolutely till the end of the pulsating final in Rabat.
President Tinubu used the opportunity to restate his administration’s resolve to prioritize grassroots sports, youth development and women empowerment, noting that his government will continue to invest heavily in facilities, training, exposure and welfare for young athletes across the country.
He assured that his administration, through the National Sports Commission and other relevant agencies, will ensure that talented young Nigerians, especially girls, are given the platform, support and enabling environment to discover their talents and develop them to world-class standards.
He concluded by saying: “Congratulations once again, Flamingos. Thank you for making Nigeria proud. You have made your families proud, your state proud and your nation proud. Your country will welcome you with honour and your reward will be great because you have brought glory to over 200 million Nigerians.”
On her part, First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu, who also issued a congratulatory message to the team, said the Flamingos’ victory tells a powerful story of resilience, dedication, sacrifice and patriotism, and should serve as a reference point for the Nigerian girl-child.
The First Lady, who has been championing girl-child education and women empowerment through her Renewed Hope Initiative, RHI, said the girls have demonstrated that Nigerian women can achieve anything if given the necessary encouragement, opportunity and support by government and society.
According to her, coming from behind after losing their first game to winning six straight matches to become world champions shows the depth of character, discipline and determination embedded in the team, which every young Nigerian should learn from and emulate in pursuit of their personal goals.
She added that she eagerly awaits the arrival of the world champions in Nigeria and looks forward to hosting and celebrating them as true heroines and worthy ambassadors of the nation, assuring that she will continue to work to create more opportunities for girls to excel in sports and other endeavours.
Meanwhile, the entire country has been thrown into celebration mood since the victory, with the National Sports Commission, NFF, former Super Falcons stars, football administrators and ordinary Nigerians on social media describing the triumph as a defining moment for women’s football and a major boost for sports development in Nigeria.
