Nigeria’s women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, made history by becoming the first African team to reach the quarterfinals at the Paris 2024 Olympics. However, this remarkable achievement has been overshadowed by allegations of unpaid allowances, with Assistant Coach Abiola Olajuwon accusing the country’s sports officials of failing to deliver on their financial promises.
Olajuwon took to social media on Wednesday to voice her frustration and disappointment, revealing that despite the team’s groundbreaking performance, neither the players nor the coaching staff have received the full compensation promised to them. “To go to the Olympics and experience something my father did with the USA was a dream,” Olajuwon shared. “But Nigeria denied women’s basketball, and then had the Minister tell us we are young enough to go to the next one. Assistant Coaches put blood, sweat, and tears into making sure players accomplished history.”
The Assistant Coach further disclosed that while some players received less than what was promised, the assistant coaches have not been paid at all. “It is sad players (the ones who got paid) received less than what was promised by the Ministry. It is also sad that the Assistant coaches haven’t received our money (that was promised) at all and are now being ignored,” she lamented.
Sports Ministry Launches Investigation
In response to these serious allegations, Diana-Mary Nsan, Special Adviser on Media to the Sports Ministry, confirmed that an investigation has been launched to verify Olajuwon’s claims. “The Acting PS (Permanent Secretary) has been instructed to review the records, but I can assure you that the Minister approved all the payments,” Nsan stated. She emphasized that the funds were released to the Federation responsible for disbursing the payments, and the investigation aims to uncover what went wrong in the process.
Nsan assured that the Ministry is committed to resolving the issue swiftly, stating, “We should be able to know what really happened before the end of the day.”
Accountability Concerns Loom
While the Ministry’s swift response offers a glimmer of hope for resolution, there is growing concern among athletes and stakeholders that this investigation may follow the same path as previous inquiries that yielded no concrete results. The unaddressed exclusion of Favour Ofili from the 100m event at the Olympics, despite similar promises of investigation, has left many skeptical about the potential outcomes of this inquiry.
The D’Tigress team’s achievements in Paris marked a significant milestone for Nigerian sports, but the allegations of unpaid allowances have cast a shadow over the celebration. Olajuwon’s revelations highlight the urgent need for greater transparency and accountability within Nigeria’s sports administration to ensure that athletes and coaches receive the support and compensation they deserve.
