WHEN GLORY OUTSHINES SACRIFICE: A REFLECTION ON NIGERIA'S PRIORITIES

WHEN GLORY OUTSHINES SACRIFICE: A REFLECTION ON NIGERIA'S PRIORITIES

In a country where sacrifice is often preached but rarely rewarded, a recent government decision has stirred a storm of concern and discontent among Nigerians particularly those in uniform and their families. The announcement that each member of the Super Falcons, Nigeria’s national women’s football team, who won the Women’s African Cup of Nations (WAFCON), will receive ₦160 million each (players) and ₦80 million each (coaches and staff), along with three-bedroom apartments under the Renewed Hope Housing Scheme, has raised serious questions about the government's priorities.

While no one denies the pride and joy the Super Falcons bring to the nation their hard work and victory deserve commendation the contrast between their reward and the neglect of wounded and incapacitated soldiers tells a more painful story.

These soldiers’ brave men and women who faced bullets, landmines, and the horror of combat to defend the territorial integrity of Nigeria often return home broken, forgotten, and impoverished. Many of them suffer life-altering injuries, losing limbs, eyesight, or mental stability, and yet receive little to no compensation. Some are reportedly unable to access even $1,000 in support after years of dedicated service.

This disparity is not only shocking but deeply unjust. It sends a troubling message: that symbolic victory on the football pitch is more valuable than blood spilled in defense of the country.

The Nigerian government must answer this critical question: What is the worth of sacrifice? If those who risk their lives in Sambisa Forest, in the creeks, and on volatile borders are rewarded with silence and abandonment, while entertainers and sports figures are lavished with wealth and homes, then our national compass has lost direction.

The essence of governance is justice, fairness, and gratitude. A responsible government does not overlook its defenders. The sacrifices of our military especially those injured and permanently incapacitated must be met with adequate compensation, rehabilitation, housing, and medical care. A nation that fails to take care of its protectors is a nation in moral decline.

This is not a call to deny the Super Falcons their well-earned rewards. It is a call to balance. A call to equity. A call to remember those who can no longer stand, walk, or return home whole not because they failed in duty, but because they succeeded and paid the price for it.

It is time for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration to revisit its approach to rewarding national service. True Renewed Hope must extend to the barracks, the hospital wards, and the homes of fallen heroes’ widows.