Bolaji Abdullahi motivates Super Eagles with cash incentive

Ahead of Wednesday's semi-final clash of old football rivals Nigeria and Ghana at the ongoing 2014 African Nations Championship (CHAN) in South Africa, Nigerian sports authorities have dangled a US$100,000 incentive before the Super Eagles to beat the Black Stars. Nigeria's Sports Minister Bolaji Abdullahi announced the offer after the Eagles came from behind to beat Morocco 4-3 in their quarter-final clash in Cape Town on Saturday.


The Minister had made a similar offer to the Eagles before the Morocco match.

“With the kind of overwhelming joy that followed the victory across our country, one cannot but feel that perhaps, these players are destined to win the trophy,” the local Punch newspaper Monday quoted Abdullahi as saying after the win against Morocco.

The minister said the players would get the first US$100,000 before their next match on Wednesday, noting that the cash incentive was government’s way of motivating the players to give their best and triumph over their opponents.

“If they qualify for the final and go ahead to win the trophy, they can be confident that a grateful nation will remember for a long time to come that they, with typical Nigerian grits and determination, have extended our dominance of African football,” the Minister said.

Nigeria is making its debut at the continental championship, which started in 2009.