Senator John Owan Enoh, the Honourable Minister of Sports Development, has urged Nigeria’s U20 female national team, the Falconets, to emerge victorious against Ghana in the women’s football final at the ongoing African Games in Accra, Ghana. The Minister emphasized the importance of their mission during his visit to the team’s camp on Tuesday, while they were preparing for the crucial final.

Enoh highlighted the national significance of bringing home the gold medal and expressed the support of the President and all Nigerians. He stated, “It matters for me to visit you all, it matters to our President, and all Nigerians that you’ve come this far. The goal is to win the gold medal on Thursday, and it is an important goal for you and for the country.”

Drawing on Nigeria’s previous success in women’s football at the African Games four years ago, the Minister reminded the Falconets of their responsibility to defend that title and uphold the nation’s legacy. He asserted, “Four years ago, we won gold in women’s football in Morocco, so you all have the responsibility to defend that title and return to Nigeria with the gold medal.”

Despite the challenge of facing the host nation, Ghana, Enoh expressed confidence in the Falconets’ abilities and emphasized the significance of their victory as a stepping stone towards the FIFA Women’s U20 World Cup in Colombia.

In response, Coach Christopher Danjuma expressed gratitude to the Minister for his support and assured that the team would spare no effort in making Nigerians proud. “We appreciate the Minister for supporting the team, and we promise to go the extra mile to achieve success,” affirmed Danjuma.

The team’s captain, Oluchi Ohaegbulam, echoed the same sentiments, emphasizing the squad’s commitment to exerting maximum effort in pursuit of the gold medal. She declared, “It is a privilege for us to represent the country, and we promise to work hard and give one last push towards gold.”