Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State on Friday announced a cash gift of N54.5 million to the victorious Super Eagles.
The governor, who hosted the Eagles in his office at Ikeja, gave coach Stephen Keshi N2.5million, while his immediate assistant, Daniel Amokachi, got N2 million.
Each of the other four assistant coaches, including Ike Shorunmu and Sylvanus Okpala got N1.5million each, while the team’s captain, Joseph Yobo, was also given
N1.5 million.
Each of the other 22 players was given N1 million while each scorer of the 11 goals scored in the tournament by the team received an additional N500,000.
The governor also captured the backroom staff of the team in the largesse with N15 million, while another N4.5 million was given to the supporters’ club.
Speaking at the occasion, Mr. Fashola said the donation was the state’s ‘token’ appreciation of the team for doing the nation proud in South Africa.
The governor said the team`s feat in South Africa was a unique achievement for Nigerian sports, saying it had brought the country back into reckoning in world football.
Mr. Fashola warned against complacency, urging the team as well as sports administrators to do all they could to build on the current achievement to record more successes.
“Now that we have won the AFCON trophy,the question to ask is what next? We have Kenya to contend with in a few days.
“Let us remind ourselves that Zambia, the immediate defending champions of the tournament, did not make it to the second round.
“We have the Confederation Cup in June that provides us with an opportunity to improve on our performance.
“Yes, we have moved from very abysmal ranking to 4th in Africa and 30th in the world but we must remember that the ranking used to be better because in 1994, we were ranked 5th in the world.
“Really, the job is not done yet, so we must begin to plan ahead and do all the right things to ensure the team performs better,” he said.
The governor canvassed improvement of the local league as well as grassroots football, saying that both had the prospect of impacting on Nigeria`s performance in international competitions.
He also urged sport officials to desist from frequent interference with national teams, especially in the affairs of the coaching crew, saying the practice undermined their successes in competitions.
Members of the Lagos State Executive Council and prominent citizens of the state were among those who received the team at the Government House, Alausa.
The Super Eagles on Sunday defeated Burkina Faso 1-0 at the final of the 2013 Orange Africa Cup of Nations, to emerge African champions.
(NAN)
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