FG Fulfills Pledge to D’Tigress, as Players, Officials Receive Documents for Houses, National Honours
*Promise of $100,000 to each player for winning 2025 Afrobasket to be redeemed shortly
Duro Ikhazuagbe
The Federal Government on Monday in Lyon-Villeurbanne, France, fulfilled its promise to D’Tigress following their victory at the 2025 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket Championship last August.
The Nigerian ladies claimed the Afrobasket title for the fifth consecutive time and seventh in all after a nervy 78-64 victory over Mali in the final.
On the team’s return to Lagos from Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire with the Afrobasket trophy, President Bola Tinubu approved a cash reward of Naira equivalent of $100,000 to each player, and $50,000 equivalent for the coach and each technical team member.
The President also conferred on each player, and technical crew member the title of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) in addition to the allocation of one flat for each player, coach , and technical crew member.
Yesterday, ahead of D’Tigress’ last Group A clash with Germany on Tuesday at the ongoing 2026 FIBA World Cup qualifiers in France, the players and officials were pleasantly surprised to be presented with the certificates for National honours and title documents to the houses allocated to them in Abuja by the Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Mallam Shehu Dikko and the Director General, Hon Bukola Olopade alongside other top Government officials.
The NSC Chairman said that handing over the documents to the players and officials was prompt fulfilment of promises made by a President who truly cares with both his words and actions.
He stressed that Nigerian sports wouldn’t have pray for a better leader than President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, in a time and season like this in the country’s sporting history.
” I want to first of all thank Mr President for making sports work again in Nigeria and giving every Nigerian athlete a renewed confidence that sports can truly change their lives and put food on their table, because it’s not just a leisure but a serious business,” began Dikko.
“Mr President is happy to give you girls these honours and houses because you have consistently placed Nigeria on the global map with your performance, your patriotic spirit and your never give up mentality”.
The NSC Chairman also assured the girls that the money promised to them by the President is almost in the final stage for disbursement and that too will soon drop in their respective bank accounts.
In his contribution, the Director General of the NSC, Hon Bukola Olopade, added that Mr President is truly redefining what sports should be inline with what is obtainable in developed countries where sports is striving.
“Mr President is a rewarder and his reward system is already yielding tremendous results in sports and fulfilling his promise to you girls on time is another testament to the priority he places on Nigerian sports.
“Like what I often say , with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, be rest assured that when you do well for the country, just know a grateful and thankful nation is waiting for you,” he concluded.
President of the Nigeria Basketball Federation, NBBF, Engr Musa Kida, also thanked Mr President for laying down a legacy of a lifetime for Nigerian sports with the way he prioritises the welfare of Nigerian athletes.
The Coach of D’Tigress, Rena Wakama, expressed her gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the show of love and support and assured the country that there is more to come from her team.
Captain of the team, Amy Okonkwo, also expressed gratitude to Mr President on behalf of the entire team while also assuring that their commitment to the country will continue to soar higher.
