The President of Nigeria Wrestling Federation, Daniel Igali has hoped Nigeria elite athletes also benefit from allowances and bonuses constantly splashed on the National football teams.
Igali made this known on his social media shortly after the Super Eagles of Nigeria received bonuses for beating Cameroon in the quarterfinal of the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Egypt.
The World champion said he is praying for other athletes to receive such amounts after making the country proud at Africa, Commonwealth or Olympic Games.
He said, “Silently Praying and hoping for the day a Nigerian Elite Athlete (not playing Football) will represent Nigeria at the Africa, Commonwealth or Olympic Games and come back home with allowances and bonuses totalling $10,000”.
Reacting to the Commonwealth champion post, Veteran sports journalist, Patrick Omorodion said it is high time lesser sports athletes staged a peaceful demonstration to express their displeasure over the way they are treated.
He said, “It is high time Nigerian athletes protested this injustice. I have been saying this and nobody in the so-called lesser sports seems to be interested. The senior men’s Basketball team won the Nations Cup in 2015 and the women repeated the feat in 2017. How much did they get as bonus for each of the matches they won en route the final. God will not come down to help athletes fight this cause, they must fight it themselves”.
Former National champion, Olawale Akala said, “I think that will take a President of this country or the minister of sports who love individual sports to a certain height to take a stand for the athletes”.
