Mmadu’s comments come on the heels of a statement by her former teammate Patience Avre, who urged the government to acknowledge the contributions of the players who won titles in earlier years, long before the Falcons secured their 10th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) trophy.
Speaking in support of Avre’s remarks, Mmadu congratulated the current Super Falcons squad, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), and Nigerians at large for the team’s recent achievements.
The former international also praised companies and organizations that have shown support to the team, saying their recognition of the players’ resilience during competitions has been commendable.
However, Mmadu did not shy away from addressing what she described as years of neglect for past players.
The ex-Falcons star appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to extend gestures of appreciation to former players who sacrificed their energy and total service to Nigeria’s dominance in African women’s football.
“As my colleague mentioned earlier, I would first like to congratulate the entire team, congratulate Nigeria, and also commend the NFF for the great work they have done. I want to extend a very big thank you to His Excellency, our Number One Citizen of Nigeria, for his love and support for the girl child,”
“As my teammate Avre rightly pointed out, we have felt neglected over the years. It’s true, because this 10th trophy did not just appear in the last competition—we are the pioneers of this great achievement,”
“I’m not saying they should receive exactly the same amount as the current team, but at least a token of appreciation would go a long way. It would show us that our Number One Citizen truly values the foundation we laid—because without the foundation, there would be no house, and certainly no 10-storey building standing today that does not have a foundation"
She told facingsports.blogspot.com in a chat.
“This support will inspire the girls to be more committed to their football careers and to know that "a woman crowns a nation, umunwanyi bu nnukwuite ife"—a woman is truly valuable in our society ” Maureen Mmadu added
She concluded by thanking the President for encouraging the girl child, noting that such recognition would further motivate young female footballers to take their careers seriously.
The Super Falcons Star Mmadu played at the famous 1999 USA FIFA Women's World Cup and represented Nigeria at the African Women's Nations Cup.
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