Nigeria had the kind of weekend that makes you want to call someone and ask, “Did you see that?” There was a World Cup triumph, two golds in Dakar, and a campaign trail that got louder by the day.
The Flamingos make history
On Saturday night in Rabat, Nigeria’s Flamingos did what no African team had done before. They beat Japan 2-1 in the final of the U-17 Women’s World Cup, becoming the first African women’s team to win a FIFA competition. Oluebube Umejiaku scored a stunning individual goal in the second half to settle the contest, and she was named the tournament’s Golden Ball winner.
The celebrations started straight away. At a reception in Rabat, sponsor Alhaji Saleh Ahmadu gave the team $50,000, and the Presidency, through the National Sports Commission, paid the bonuses owed to the girls for their whole campaign. FIFA pays no prize money at this level, so those gifts mattered even more. President Tinubu said the news was a wonderful thing to return home to, and that the girls had conquered the world. He is expected to host the team at Aso Rock.
The champions touched down in Abuja on Monday morning to a warm welcome from officials and supporters. A date for the Aso Rock visit has not yet been announced.
Gold in Dakar
Nigeria’s young athletes also had a Sunday to remember at the Youth Olympic Games. Gift Bright and Rosemary Nwankwo won the boys’ and girls’ 100m titles, giving Nigeria its first two gold medals of the Games. No other country has won both sprint titles at the same edition.
Nwankwo took her title in a wind-assisted 11.16 seconds, and Bright became the first Nigerian man to win the event. He is only 15.
Rally drama on the campaign trail
The mood on the political front was far less friendly. It began with remarks President Tinubu made on Friday at a rally in Uyo. He mocked Peter Obi over erosion in Anambra, saying the former governor ran away from it while he himself tackled the Atlantic Ocean in Lagos. He also urged voters not to back Obi or Atiku Abubakar in 2027.
The replies came over the weekend. Atiku called Tinubu “a disaster,” accused him of wanting to remove him from the ballot at any cost, and insisted he would still be on it. In a statement on Sunday, the NDC accused the APC of using the Ibom deep seaport as a repeat campaign promise, pointing out that the project was approved in 2020.
The rallies had their own drama. In Asaba on Saturday, a procession organised by supporters of Obi was attacked. Reports say one person was killed and five others injured. Obi condemned the violence on Sunday and demanded justice for the victims. The Delta State Government has blamed the organisers, alleging they did not comply with required rules. Over in Aba, chants of “Obi” repeatedly interrupted Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu as he campaigned for Tinubu’s re-election.
Also making news
Troops rescued 119 abducted travellers in Borno State and recovered eight vehicles. The President also set December 3 as the date for the inauguration of the northern rail projects.
