TELECOM giants, MTN Nigeria, on Thursday celebrated the Super Falcons with the sum of N150 million reward for being champions of the just concluded Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) on Saturday, July 26, in Morocco.
The Chief Executive Officer, MTN, Mr Karl Toriola, at the welcome party for Super Falcons in Lagos, reiterated MTN unwavering commitment to supporting women not just in sports, but across all sectors of the Nigerian economy.
Toriola said that the sum of N115m would be for the players while N35m would be for the team. According to him, MTN is very proud because the company is believed to have the most gender-balanced leadership team and also a gender parity team in the industry.
The CEO, while recounting the emotional journey of watching the Super Falcons, particularly during the challenging match said: “At 2-0 down at halftime, my heart had dropped. I thought this was over.
“When the Super Falcons scored, I actually had tears in my eyes. Thank you for giving me such a joyous moment. I’m sure you’re going to inspire the Super Eagles with your efforts.
“To the Super Falcons, you are more than athletes, you are inspirations for everyone in Nigeria, every young lady, to go out there and make a difference. You are role models, you are ambassadors, and you are proof that when Nigerian women rise, the world will take notice,” he said.
He, however, recalled the presentation made in 2021 to the MTN board, advocating for a significant long-term financial investment in the NFF, noting that both the Super Eagles and Super Falcons had consistently delivered on the investment.
“We followed you through every match, every challenge, every triumph, and some of the losses. We followed you and we will continue to support you,” he said.
He appreciated the NFF and the team for “uniting us as a nation and making us proud.”
The Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), Mrs Onyinye Ikenna-Emeka lauded the team for winning the 10th title of WAFCON.
According to Ikenga-Emeka, this is a championship that has been held 13 times and Nigeria has won it 10 times, which deserves a stronger round of applause.
“It is no mean feat and it is a testament to how determined Nigerian women can be when they set out to achieve something. And we are most grateful and we celebrate you, we celebrate your resilience, we celebrate your determination. What you have achieved not only makes Nigeria proud, but it makes all women proud,” she said.
According to her, that is why MTN has gathered some pacesetting women here to also celebrate you because these are women who have also stood out in their different areas of endeavours.
“So, what we would like to do is to celebrate you, to celebrate your strength, to celebrate your patriotism, to celebrate the determination and your ability to put in dedication and talent to achieve the results that we are here today to celebrate.”
In her closing remarks, General Manager, MTN, Aisha Mumuni, said that Super Falcons achievement brought hope to a lot of Nigerians.
The Super Falcons Captain, Rashidat Ajibade, while appreciating the gesture, pledged a more robust outing in future.
Ajibade said that the team felt valued, honoured, respected and this had inspired us to be more, to do better and keep inspiring the next generation.
Ajibade appreciated everyone and groups that had supported the journey of the team to be champions for the 10th time.
According to her, this win is for all of us but for the Super Falcons of Nigeria; those who won the 10th title, and those who want to come behind. We are grateful for this mission.
“We are grateful for winning this title, but we are not through yet; we want to take this to the next level, we want to be global contenders, we just don’t want to be local champions alone. And we hope that we can all work together, the federation, the Federal Government, and the private sector to keep investing and supporting the Super Falcons. Let this be the beginning of more believe in Super Falcon, more support, and a stronger legacy.”
The Super Falcons of Nigeria defeated Morocco 3-2 in the final at Rabat on Saturday, July 26. (NAN)
