By Andrew Abah
Former President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Alhaji Sani Lulu Abdullahi, has called on the government to motivate athletes who excel in tournaments, even if they do not emerge as winners.
Lulu, who is the Proprietor of Fosla Academy, Abuja, made this appeal while receiving Queen Joseph, a member of Nigeria’s U-17 women’s national team, the Flamingos, who returned to the school after participating in the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup held in Morocco.
Queen Joseph, an SS2 student of the Academy, distinguished herself at the tournament as Nigeria’s highest goalscorer, netting three goals.
Lulu noted that recognizing and rewarding athletes who perform well would inspire them to strive for greater achievements in future competitions.
“If athletes that excel during tournaments are motivated when they return, they will be propelled to do more and eventually emerge as winners in subsequent editions,” Lulu stated.
He explained that Fosla Academy decided to honour Queen Joseph for her dedication, patriotism, and hard work, adding that the institution remains committed to producing quality players for Nigeria’s various national teams.
In appreciation of her outstanding performance, Fosla Academy presented Queen Joseph with a cash gift of ₦500,000, while she, in turn, presented Alhaji Sani Lulu Abdullahi with souvenirs from her national team experience.
Expressing her gratitude, Queen Joseph said she was delighted with the warm reception accorded to her by the Academy.
“I am very happy with the recognition given to me by the Academy. This has motivated me to continue working hard to excel both in my academics and my football career,” she said.
Fosla Academy, established by Alhaji Sani Lulu Abdullahi, continues to play a leading role in combining education with football development, grooming young talents who represent Nigeria at various levels.