Following the Super Falcons’ stunning triumph at the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, has called on the Federal Government to extend equal financial recognition to the coaching crew, particularly head coach Justin Madugu, whose efforts he described as critical to the team’s success.
Speaking during a sermon titled “The Winning Team” at RCCG’s monthly Thanksgiving service held at the Throne of Grace Parish in Ebute-Metta, Lagos, Pastor Adeboye celebrated Nigeria’s victorious female football team but emphasized that the unseen hands behind their glory—the coaches—must not be overlooked.
“Without Coaches, There Is No Team”
While expressing gratitude for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s gesture of rewarding each of the 24 players with the naira equivalent of $100,000, Adeboye insisted that coaches deserve just as much.
“I thank the President for the gift to the Falcons. However, I don’t agree that coaches should receive less than the players. Without the coaches, the team would not succeed. God bless the coaches—we need them,” he said.
The revered cleric stressed that the wisdom and discipline coaches instil are just as important as the physical efforts of the athletes. Quoting scripture, he said, “Wisdom is better than strength. You can be strong and still lose.”
Drawing from the Past: Lessons from a Tough Coach
Adeboye, a former athlete and boxer, recounted his experience under a strict coach in the 1960s.
“Back in 1960, I had a coach who gave us a tough time. We even asked if we were being trained for the army,” he recalled. “But today, I thank him. He built strength in us. He saw what we couldn’t see and pushed us beyond our limits.”
He described how his coach once asked him to push against a wall to build resilience, an experience that now serves as a metaphor for spiritual and physical growth.
Beyond the Pitch: Life Lessons and Discipline
In his sermon, Adeboye also spoke about the broader values sports can teach—discipline, self-control, and humility. He narrated how a lack of decorum once cost him and his peers a scholarship opportunity during a formal dinner, using it to emphasize the importance of discipline on and off the field.
“To win in life or in sports, you must learn self-control. Talent without discipline will always come short,” he warned.
Encouraging Nigerians to strive for excellence, he urged them to cultivate a “winning mindset” that blends hard work with divine support.
“The race is not always to the swift, nor the battle to the strong—it is to those whom God has shown mercy,” he told the congregation.
“No to Drugs, Yes to Discipline”: RCCG’s Message to Athletes
Speaking to journalists after the service, Pastor Oladele Balogun, Special Assistant to the General Overseer and Pastor in charge of RCCG Region 1, reinforced Adeboye’s message by advising athletes to shun performance-enhancing drugs.
“Relying on drugs undermines the discipline sports is meant to instil. If you’re caught, you’re disqualified. It’s not worth it,” Balogun cautioned.
He encouraged athletes to eat right, exercise regularly, and seek divine help for strength, stressing that both faith and effort are necessary for true success.
“In Nigeria, before you win, you must fight. And while God plays His role, we must also do our part,” he said.
A Call for Fairness and Reform
Pastor Adeboye’s appeal adds moral weight to ongoing conversations about the welfare of sports personnel in Nigeria. While players often receive national attention and accolades, coaches and support staff—despite their strategic role—are frequently under-rewarded or forgotten.
As the dust settles on the Falcons’ WAFCON victory, the call for equity in reward distribution could spark a rethink in how Nigeria honours its sporting heroes—both on the field and behind the scenes.