Akpabio says Flamingos victory offers Nigerians hope, courage

Senate President Godswill Akpabio says the Flamingos victory at the 2026 FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup has renewed hope and inspired Nigerians to overcome challenges.

Akpabio said this on Wednesday when he received the victorious national women’s team at the National Assembly in Abuja.

He described the team’s achievement as a source of national pride, saying their performance had demonstrated the Nigerian spirit of resilience, determination and courage.

The Senate President said the team’s recovery from an opening defeat to record six successive victories showed that setbacks should not define the outcome of one’s aspirations.

“Your opening defeat could have broken your confidence. Instead, you answered it with six successive victories.

“When you are down, you will not stay down because no champion stays down,” he said.

He said the Flamingos had demonstrated that Nigerians could overcome difficult circumstances through determination, unity and collective effort.

Akpabio described the team as the pride of Nigeria and Africa, adding that their achievement had shown the capacity of Nigerian girls to compete and excel at the highest level of international sports.

He urged Nigerians in other sectors, including governance, infrastructure and national development, to draw inspiration from the team’s determination and teamwork.

The Senate President called on the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and sports administrators to invest more in grassroots football development and establish academies to identify and nurture young talents.

He also commended the coaches, officials, parents and guardians for their sacrifices and contributions to the team’s success.

Akpabio announced the redemption of the Senate’s N100 million pledge to the players, while acknowledging President Bola Tinubu’s provision of N100 million bonds for each member of the team.

He explained that the bonds would yield dividends until maturity, when the players attain the age of 21 and receive the principal amounts.

According to him, the President’s gesture demonstrates recognition of the players’ contributions to national pride and would encourage young Nigerians to pursue excellence in their chosen fields.

He urged the players to remain disciplined, united and focused, warning them against activities capable of undermining their careers or bringing disrepute to their families and the country.

“May every Nigerian facing a difficult hour remember your example and find courage to persevere,” he said.

Akpabio congratulated the team on behalf of the Senate and the National Assembly, expressing confidence that their achievement would inspire more young Nigerians, particularly girls, to pursue sporting excellence.

Earlier, Chairman, Senate Committee on Sports, Sen. Abdul Ningi, described the Flamingos achievement as a major source of national pride, saying their victory had restored hope and boosted the morale of Nigerians.

Ningi said Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the men’s FIFA World Cup, alongside disappointments in other national football competitions, had affected the country’s spirit, given the importance of football to Nigerians.

He said the Senate would continue to support sports development, noting that the National Assembly had demonstrated its commitment by suspending its rules to honour the victorious team.

Ningi also commended President Tinubu for prioritising sports development, saying the administration’s commitment had given stakeholders renewed hope for the sector.

He called for a deliberate national sports development strategy with clear objectives and timelines to prevent Nigeria from missing future FIFA World Cup competitions.

Ningi said Nigeria had the potential to reclaim its position among the leading football nations, urging sports administrators to build on the Flamingos success and strengthen development programmes across different age categories.

Also speaking, Chairman, National Sports Commission, Shehu Dikko, who accompanied the team, commended the players for recovering from their opening defeat to win their subsequent six matches and secure the championship.

Dikko said the victory was a collective achievement, with different players making significant contributions throughout the competition.

He said the team’s performance demonstrated the importance of teamwork and depth in building a successful side rather than relying on the contributions of a few individuals.

Responding on behalf of the team, Captain Chidera Chidi thanked the Senate for the honour accorded them.

“For us, my teammates and everybody, we feel appreciated and we promise we will keep fighting out there for Nigeria.

“We will keep working hard to make Nigeria stronger,” she said.

It was reported that the Flamingos defeated Japan 2-1 to win the 2026 FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco.

Our correspondent also reported that Nigeria became the first African country to win the FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup.