Redefining Success: The silent achievements and untapped potential of Nigeria Women in Football
Oladejo Umar Adetunji
Despite the immense contributions of women to national development in Africa, they are still faced with quite a number of difficulties that limit their potentials in promoting personal and collective development. In Nigeria women’s participation in sport has for a long time been relatively low compared to men’s participation, due to differential treatment based on socio-cultural roles and expectations. This perhaps has extensively reduced already existing opportunities that are available for women in sports.
An analysis of those actively involved in sports in Nigeria indicates that men constitute the greater number either as players, coaches, or as administrators. In spite of Nigeria’s ethnic, culture and religious diversity, a constant theme seems to run through the society as regards the traditional place of women; her traditional place is in the home. Her ideal role is associated with child bearing, rearing and housekeeping. Nigeria, therefore is classified as a society where cultural values predominate in all activities.
In spite of all the challenges, female football has continued to survive and prosper not only in Nigeria but around the world. Nigeria Female footballers are currently reaching milestone around the world such as the female football attendance record which is currently held by FC Barcelona female team against Wolfsburg (91,648 attendants) and Real Madrid female (91,553 attendants) teams collectively at the spotify camp nou, with Asisat Oshoala scoring goals, winning awards, medals and many more achievements with the Barcelona team.
The passion and love of the game by these women as shown at the club’s level can be seen within the super falcon team which is the Nigeria female football team. The female national team is the most successful female football team in Africa holding the Africa women nations cup with a record of 11 wins, and also not missing a single world cup presence since 1991. Their performance in the recent 2023 world cup was a success for a team ranked far below top countries like Canada and Australia, the super falcons were still able to compete against these countries in the same group and still qualify. The Super Falcons thwarted the odds against all odds by getting a tie against the Canucks from the start. The just concluded world cup has left faith and memorable moments in the minds of many Nigerians which is undisputed.
Improving local female league from the grassroots is extremely important to the development of female football in Nigeria. The foundation when laid well, would create immense value, and develop more talents for the country in the years to come. It must be known that in order to achieve such outcomes, more emphasis must be given on delivery of innovative female football programs at the junior level. The NWFL Premiership (formerly Nigeria Women Premier League) is the top-level league for female football in Nigeria, while the 2nd tier is the NWFL championship, and the 3rd tier division is the NWFL Nationwide, these tiers needs both financial and media support to boost their activities nationwide as many Nigerians are not aware of the top tier women league let alone of the 2nd or 3rd tier. Investments if channeled properly into female football will bring a lot in return as seen despite the low fund in the sector, they are still making us proud in the international ground. The success of national teams like the USWNT (United States Women’s National Team) is as the result of the proper investment in their female grassroot league.
In Africa and even in Nigeria sport for women has been debated to be against their physical well-being and due to this they have continued to deny girls aspiring to have a career in football or any other sport that right. Budding female players in Nigeria are said to have 1.3 million fewer opportunities to play high school sports than boys have. Lack of physical education in schools and limited opportunities to play sports in both high school and college means that girls have to look elsewhere for sports which may not be common in Nigeria or one that may cost more money. Often there is an additional lack of access to adequate training facilities near their homes that makes it more difficult for girls to engage in sports. At the grassroot level, facilities should be made available for the women, they should be encouraged, some concentration and energy should be channeled to this sector to enhance the development of female football.
Women have done a lot in African society and all their efforts toward football and sports generally should be appreciated. It is so clear and understandable that the female football industry throughout the world is no where near the men but still they are more appreciated in some part of the world than they are here in Nigeria. The American women national team have clamored for same payroll and facilities with their men, not all but some of their conditions were met by their government because they are unarguably and clearly more successful than their men team. Likewise, the grass root is more important, as it is the foundation of all. Also, more fund and investment is required for the development. Female football around the world is taking a new dawn around the globe and the laudatory notices and honors are going to the nations that invest most in the sector.
OLADEJO UMAR ADETUNJI, a student of the department of mass communication, Ahmadu Bello university, zaria,
