Falconets: Captain of Nigeria’s women U-20 seen in new video kneeling to collect money from Sports Minister Dalung

A video that shows Falconets captain kneeling while taking money from Dalung has drawn reactions from social media.

Sports Minister Solomon Dalung has drawn the ire of football enthusiasts and observers following a footage that emerged that shows captain of the Falconets Oluwakemi Famuditi kneeling to collect money from him.

Dalung was in Austria to watch Nigeria’s U-20 beat FC Wacker Innsbruck Damie 4-0 in a friendly game played at the Donau Area in Jenbach Austria.

 

After the game, Nigeria’s Minister of Sports Dalung gave the team the sum of N2.4m ($7000) as a boost ahead of the FIFA Women’s U-20 World Cup campaign in France.

The minister has however been severely bashed after team captain Famuditi was seen kneeling while collecting the money from him.

In a video that has been widely shared on social media, Famuditi is seen kneeling while she counted the money.

The video as drawn reactions from social media.

Dalung called out

 

“What’s going on here? Captain of the U20 women National team on her knees counting money in front of Solomon Dalung the sports minister,” a Twitter user with the account @9jafootballtalk.

 

“These girls are stars Dalung, you have to kneel for them and not them. Are they beggers or what? Didn't they merit to be playing for Nigeria? I am so discounted #Fifa please Nigerian football is on political Appointment,” Fortune Omenma Agogo said on Facebook.

“That video where Falconets kneel to collect their entitlement is just horrible. And a woman was sat right there besides the official (Dalung or not) smiling. Shame on @thenff,” a Twitter user with the handle @oloKennethK added.

“Nigeria's Sports Minister Solomon Dalung gave money to the Under-20 Women team, the Falconets. Something seems not quite right? The confusing smile, Bartimeus leg shake? The team captain's Syrophoenician kneeling? What else do you see/think?,” journalist Fisayo Dairo said on Twitter. 

 

The Minister has now said anything about the video or the reaction that followed and his Special Assistant Nneka Ikem Anibeze has not responded to enquiries made by Pulse Sports as at the time of this report.

bridging the welfare gap

According to Nneka’s statement on Facebook, the Minister gave the girls the money after he learnt that the team has not been paid their match bonuses and camp allowances for six qualifying World Cup games.

He, therefore, promised to bridge the welfare gap between the men and Women’s teams.

“My passion for women’s football is high and I don’t like the idea of treating people differently,” the minister told the girls according to the statement from his Personal Assistant.

 

“I don’t like injustice and it doesn’t look fair for them to be in camp without their entitlements. These are young players and if you don’t give them the morale support they need now, when will you do that?.

“I am against this idea of unparallel development of football . We must develop and invest in women’s football the same way we develop and invest in men’s football. That gap must be bridged.

“I want to assure you that we will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that your welfare and that of the coaching crew is taken care of because I want to see all these goals re-enacted in France.

“We will go back and work out your entitlements to ensure that the girls are comfortable in France.”

NB: $1=N360