Barrister Paul Edeh Donates Cash To Flamingos, Offers Captain Scholarship

Ayomikun Elemikan

President of Ratels Sports Development Foundation (RSDF) Barrister Paul Edeh has redeemed the cash promise he made to Nigeria’s U17 women national team, the Flamingos, Sportivation.com.ng reports.

The RSDF boss promised to gift the Flamingos 100,000 naira for each goal scored in their FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers against Egypt last month.

Interestingly, the Nigerian ladies scored a total of six goals against the North Africans over two legs to advance to the final round of the qualification stage where they will face Ethiopia.

Barrister Edeh has now redeemed his pledge by making a presentation of N600,000 cash prize to the team after their training on Thursday morning.

During the presentation, the RSDF President thanked the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for the opportunity offered to the young girls to represent their fatherland and he also thanked the coaches and staff of the team for their commitment towards their work.

“My appreciation goes to the NFF, for giving young people like you the opportunity to be able to represent us and represent us well. I also want to thank the staff who daily feed you with talents, improving on your competence to make sure you do not only represent Nigeria but also represent yourselves.” He said.

“I will always maintain that anytime you go for a tournament or a competition, right in front of you is the name of your country, Nigeria Football Federation, you carry that banner representing Nigeria. But one unique thing is behind you is your personal number and the name of your parents, that is your family name. Meaning you are both representing your nation and also representing your family and no person here would want the name of their family to be soiled nor the name of their country to be brought to disrepute and that is why, indeed you have done very well.

“You will recall that the last time before your game against Egypt, I had made a commitment, I said that any goal you score, 100,000 naira. I was bragging because I knew the Egyptian team was a very tough one. You scored four goals.

He also stated: “The commitment I made was just for that match. However, when the second match came and I spoke with some of your coaching crew and they [told me that the match will be tough]. I promised another hundred thousand for any goal. I was prepared to honour my word.

“What I’m doing today is not because I have so much, but because I feel young girls like you should be able to be rewarded and encouraged to do more. We are in a society where attention is given more to the boys’ game compared to the women. But all through this period the girls have not disappointed us. Super Falcons have qualified, Falconets have qualified and now, Flamingoes will qualify.

“On behalf of my foundation, Ratels Sports Development Foundation, that is inclined to support grassroots sports, my attention is focused basically on young people like you. Those who have made it and arrived, thank God for their lives but those of you who want to take over from them we will keep supporting you.

“It is not because we have so much, but just to encourage you. I want to assure that before the next match, I am still going to talk with officials at the NFF and see the commitment we can make to further boost your effort to ensure that you win the next match,” he concluded.

Barrister Edeh further pledged to give the coaching crew $1000 if the Flamingos eventually qualify for the U17 Women’s World Cup.

He also renewed his promise of one goal for N100, 000 against Ethiopia, just as he encouraged the girls to learn from the wealth of experience of the coaches.

While responding, captain of the team, Alvine Da Zossu, thanked Barrister Edeh for his love for them and his moral and financial support towards the girls.

“On behalf of the players, we like to say a very big thank you to you. Thank you, for not only fulfilling your promise but coming all the way here to talk to us like your children.

“We like to say a very big thank you, and also I will like to use this medium to thank our officials and our coaches because without them, this won’t have been possible, we wouldn’t have scored more goals, we wouldn’t have made Nigerians proud.

“We want to say thank you to our coaches and officials for impacting all they’ve been doing for us and making us to become better players and we pray that in our next match, we are going to do more. Thank you very much sir,” Zossu said.

The RSDF President later announced a tertiary education scholarship for the captain, starting with the payment of her JAMB form.

The first leg of the final round of qualifiers for the World Cup to be hosted in India will be played in Ethiopia on 20 May before the return leg in Nigeria on 2 June, 2022.

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