SaharaReporters on Tuesday reported that President Tinubu awarded all the Super Eagles team members the Member of the Order of the Niger (MON) national honour for their display at the just concluded 2023 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament held in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.
One Adie Paul, a Nigerian soldier, deployed to the Northern region of the country has berated President Bola Tinubu and the Nigerian government for showering gifts on Super Eagles players while no recognition has been given to him and other soldiers fighting terrorists in the country.
Tinubu on Tuesday morning received the country’s national football team at the Council Chambers of the State House in Abuja.
The reception comes two days after the team lost in the final of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Côte d’Ivoire.
President Tinubu also announced the donation of a flat and a plot of land to each of the Super Eagles players while the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, immediately distributed forms for land allocation to each player at a yet-to-be-disclosed location.
The President had said, “It is not easy to absorb a loss, particularly when the expectations are high. But you have demonstrated sportsmanship, resilience and team spirit throughout the tournament.”
Reacting to the national honour conferred on the players and gifts showered on them, an X-user, drpenking, wrote on his handle, “Even Ahmed Musa wey no kick ball once for AFCON follow collect flat, land and OON. Wonderful times.”
Reacting to the post, the soldier who said he sustained a bullet injury while serving in the North East expressed his frustration and disappointment over the government’s failure to honour or recognise soldiers.
While sharing an X-Ray picture of his leg, the soldier wrote, “Yet, as a soldier, I stayed in the North East fighting Boko Haram for four years plus, I was shot and I am still carrying the bullet in me till date, not even a medal from the Army/Nigeria government.”
Yet as a soldier I stayed in northeast fighting Boko Haram for 4 years plus, I was shot nd still carrying the bullet in me till date, not even a medal from the army/Nigeria government. https://t.co/PQgCNysm1X pic.twitter.com/mZcKBsvqir
— Tormentor (@AdiePaul9) February 13, 2024
Even Ahmed Musa where no kick ball once for AFCON follow collect flat, land and OON. Wonderful times pic.twitter.com/2zHXYZgT2z
— Dr Penking™🇳🇬🇦🇺 (@drpenking) February 13, 2024