Editor’s note: In this article, Lekan Olayiwola highlights the Super Falcons' WAFCON victory to question why Nigeria's most reliable team continues to struggle for jerseys, recognition, and fundamental support following each game. He raises challenging questions regarding equity, silence, and who bears the burden when the system fails..
The Super Falcons achieved a win, yet their success highlights the ongoing challenges faced by Nigerian women within various institutions both on and off the field. This marks the tenth occasion that Nigeria's Super Falcons have claimed the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title in Morocco. Their steady performance on the continental level and noticeable progress at the FIFA Women’s World Cup position them as one of Africa's most accomplished football teams—regardless of gender.
In stark opposition, the Super Eagles keep facing difficulties, switching between dull displays and fresh justifications: subpar field conditions, unfavorable refereeing, or the always-acceptable culprit—mismanagement from the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
But here's the catch: the Super Falcons are part of the same organization. They face identical corruption claims, the same unpaid allowances, and the same inefficiencies within the NFF. In some ways, the women's team has experienced worse treatment, battling more for acknowledgment, travel logistics, rewards, and even uniforms. Still, they succeed.
This goes beyond a sports narrative. It touches on issues of gender, the decline of institutions, and the true nature of resilience when faced with challenges. It compels us to reconsider how we describe failure and honor success within Nigerian public life.
The gender of grit
For many years, Nigerian female athletes have realized that no one will come to rescue them. They don't have the privilege of self-importance or a sense of deserving more. The Falcons' path is defined by perseverance, strictness, and emotional effort, typically done behind the scenes of an organization that only acknowledges their achievements when medals are won.
The male team, on the other hand, enjoys public praise and better salaries but is still organizationally weak. They face greater expectations, yet often have less responsibility. The difference isn't about skill—it's about camaraderie, motivation, and the capacity to excel despite institutional neglect.
This disparity in performance is not coincidental. It is deeply rooted. Female athletes, particularly in postcolonial nations, develop their careers by dealing with systemic undervaluation, insufficient funding, and societal mixed feelings. This leads to a shared resilience that is frequently missing in more admired male teams.
Sex, authority, and the accusation game in Nigeria's national teams
A more profound cultural framework is influencing this situation. When it comes to men, failure tends to be attributed to external factors. We hear statements like "the NFF let them down" or "the coach is at fault." There's always a protective narrative, a shield of justifications. In contrast, women are supposed to achieve success without much fanfare or risk being overlooked.
That's why the Falcons succeed despite strikes, demonstrations, and training boycotts taking place behind the scenes; they bear the weight of performance along with the consequences of institutional disloyalty. Still, they manage to deliver.
Perhaps the most revealing aspect is how society shapes athletes according to their gender. Female athletes in Nigeria are subtly encouraged to exceed expectations despite being overlooked. The lack of interest in women's sports fosters an environment where achieving success requires doing so without assistance, recognition, or even fundamental resources.
Male athletes, particularly in top-level football, do not experience this kind of training. Their careers are shaped by systems of advantage and public recognition. When organizations fall apart, their emotional and strategic structures tend to fall apart too. This isn't a matter of personal ethics, but rather a structural issue—one that highlights the Falcons' work as exceptionally admirable.
Coach's approach and organizational compatibility
The decisions made by the teams' coaching staff highlight additional differences. Whereas the Super Eagles pursue foreign managers with high salaries and limited cultural integration, the Falcons have frequently thrived under local or even female coaches who possess a more profound grasp of the local environment despite receiving lower compensation.
The Falcons typically thrive when led by local coaches who grasp both the emotional climate and strategic requirements of the team. These coaches focus on team cohesion, mental strength, and flexibility—traits essential for dealing with internal challenges.
In the meantime, the Eagles' dependence on foreign coaches, although indicative of global aspirations, often leads to negative outcomes. These coaches, while proficient in technical aspects, are frequently out of touch with the cultural environment and internal disorder. Their approaches may not be effective, resulting in a disunited and aimless team.
It goes beyond football intelligence, encompassing leadership built on trust, compassion, and ethical influence. It also highlights the devaluation of local knowledge, particularly when it comes from women.
Systemic disregard as a civic critique
The triumphs of the Super Falcons are more than just awards—they serve as accusations. They reveal the NFF not only as corrupt but also as arbitrarily inefficient. When male athletes struggle within a system designed to shield them, female athletes succeed despite that very system neglecting them.
This presents a gendered contradiction: individuals receiving the least institutional backing are the ones making the system appear most effective. The Falcons embody resilience as an act of defiance. They have turned indifference into a powerful form of resistance, turning the lack of care into a moral statement. Their achievements compel us to question not only why institutions collapse, but also why certain people still manage to flourish.
Resilience shaped by gender and a sense of moral necessity
The Super Falcons demonstrate the essence of resilient strength tied to gender. They provide a real-life example of how underrepresented individuals overcome challenges in a more innovative way compared to those in positions of authority. They reflect on Nigeria's systems and pose a question: If we have managed to succeed without backing, what might we achieve with it?
The Super Falcons are not just winning; they are revealing the NFF's inefficiency through their superior performance. Their achievement serves as a reflection of systemic failure. Their success, calm and steady, conveys a narrative of determination not to be shaped by neglect, not to give in to disorder, and not to remain unnoticed.
They have been expressing their demands in silence for many years. Their successes require more than just recognition, but rather changes in policy, culture, and leadership.
If Nigeria aims to reconstruct its sports organizations with genuine commitment, the model might already be present. It is embedded in the legacy, match records, and locker room discussions of the most underfunded yet most successful team it has ever had.
It is not about whether the Super Falcons merit more. The issue is whether Nigeria is worthy of the Super Falcons.
From sports to statecraft
There is a larger civic message to be drawn. Women in Nigeria, spanning various fields—ranging from agriculture to education, conflict resolution to athletics—are frequently the ones maintaining stability as the system breaks down. The Falcons represent just the most noticeable instance.
We need to stop regarding their achievements as a miracle. They are attained through effort, intention, and can be replicated. What they have created can serve as a lesson for others—if we are ready to listen, pose the correct questions, and support the appropriate areas.
The Super Falcons go beyond symbolizing Nigeria. They remind us what it signifies to achieve victory despite the challenges posed by Nigeria.
Lekan Olayiwola is a public-facing researcher and policy analyst specializing in peace, conflict, leadership, ethics, governance, and political transparency in unstable regions.
Disclaimer:The perspectives and viewpoints shared here are the author's own and may not align with the official stance or policy of zaia news.ng.