Tallen calls on corporate Nigeria to support women football
By George Aluo
Women Affairs Minister, Pauline Tallen, has thrown her weight behind women’s football in Nigeria, even as she charged corporate bodies in the country to support the game declaring that the task of empowering the girl/child belongs to everybody.
Speaking when officials of Nigerian Women Football League (NWFL) led by its chairperson, Aisha Falode, and its Chief Operating Officer, Dupe Shabi, visited her Abuja office on Friday, Tallen urged patriotic Nigerians and corporate bodies to help grow the league, which she noted has produced great players for the country.
She assured the NWFL of her continued support, pledging to lead its campaign for sponsorship and a level-playing ground for the development of women football.
Commending the football body for its efforts to raise the standard of the women’s game and being good ambassadors despite all the odds against them, Tallen also praised the girls, clubs and their financiers for their perseverance despite the harsh economic climate.
Earlier, NWFL Chairperson, Aisha Falode, had intimated the minister on the challenges facing the women league, adding that society still doesn’t give the girl/child the chance to develop and make the best of her talents.
Falode said Nigerians could empower and engage the girl/child using football, adding that so many talented girls have become their families’ breadwinners through football.
According to Falode, “The under investment and lack of value for women has stifled our country in so many areas, while in other climes, women have proven very essential in their developmental strides.
“Apart from one or two clubs, most of the other club owners in Nigeria still pay the men far better than the women. These are clubs owned and run by same governments.
“Some Nigerians still fail to see the need to treat women in sports with respect despite all the odds they surmount to fly the country’s flag high in global circles.
“It is on record that Nigerian women have won more laurels for the country than men, yet the men are still better treated than women.
“Given the required support, Nigerian women, who are great ambassadors of this country, will bring more honour to the nation.”
Aisha singled out Sports Minister, Sunday Dare, Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) President, Amaju Pinnick, and NFF Secretary General, Mohammed Sanusi, for their sterling roles in developing women football and called on other Nigerians to follow their footsteps.
