REVEALED: What President Buhari gave each athlete in Abuja
A total of N200m was approved for the athletes apart from the national honours they were also bestowed with
President Muhammadu Buhari, on Thursday in Abuja, hosted Team Nigeria athletes that excelled while representing the country at the last Commonwealth Games and World Championships.
Nigeria had a memorable outing in Birmingham; winning a record 12 Commonwealth Gold medals while the duo of Ese Brume and Tobi Amusan helped Nigeria to a respectable outing in Oregon with a gold and silver medal with a new world record also set.
Though it was widely reported the President approved N200m as cash reward for the athletes as well as national honours for those deserving, 234sportsng.com has obtained the details of what was approved for the individual athletes.
Four athletes were in category A where N4.5m was approved along with the national award of Officer of the Order of Niger, OON.
Those in this category were Tobi Amusan, Ese Brume, Blessing Oborududu and Olufemiayo Folashade, who all excelled exceptionally in their different sports.
Amusan, in an eventful athletics season, won Nigeria’s first ever gold medal in World Athletics Championships in Oregon with a world record performance.
She also successfully defended her Nigeria, Africa, Commonwealth Games and Diamond League titles.
For Brume, she won a silver medal in the Women’s Long Jump event in Oregon and a gold medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham with a new Games Record.
Aside from winning the Commonwealth Games gold, Oborududu ensured that, for the first time, Nigeria won a medal in wrestling at the Olympic Games since 1952 at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
Olufemiayo, the only physically challenged among the quartet, got in the top category for winning a gold medal in the Women’s heavyweight category, setting a new world record in that class at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics and the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
For Category B, the cash reward was also N4.5m but with the Member of the Order of Niger, MON national award and it was for all the Gold medallists from the Commonwealth Games not captured in Category A.
They include Adijat Adenike Olarinoye (Gold, Women's 55kg), Rafiatu Folashade Lawal (Gold, Women's 59kg), Chioma Onyekwere (Gold, Women's Discus Throw), Goodness Chiemere Nwachukwu (Gold, Women's Discus Throw F 42-44/61-64).
Others are Eucharia Njideka Iyiazi (Gold, Women's F55 - 57 Shot Put), Adekuoroye Odunayo (Gold, Women's Freestyle 57kg) and Genesis Mercy (Gold, Women's Freestyle, 50kg).
For Category C, the sum of N2.5m was approved with the National Honour of the Federal Republic for all the Commonwealth Games silver medalists.
They are Taiwo Laidi (Silver, Women's 76kg), Favour Ofili (Silver, Women's 200m), Bose Patricia Omolayo (Silver, Women's Heavyweight), Ikechukwu Christian Obichukwu (Silver, Men's Heavyweight).
Others are Wilson Ebikewemino (Silver, Men's Freestyle 57kg), Hannah Reuben (Silver, Women's Freestyle 76kg), Ikpeoyi Ifechukwude Christiana (Silver, Women's Singles Classes 3-5) Sule Nasiru (Silver, Men's Singles Classes 3-5) and Oshoba Elizabeth (Silver, Over 54kg-57kg, Featherweight).
Category D was for the Commonwealth Games and they have N1.5m and National Honour of the Federal Republic was also approved.
Edidiong Joseph Umaofia (Bronze, Men's 67kg), Islamiyat Yusuf (Bronze, Women's 64kg), Mary Taiwo Osijo (Bronze, Women's 87kg)
Obiageri Amaechi (Bronze, Women's Discus Throw).
Others are Ugochi Constaine Alam (Bronze, Women's F55 - 57 Shot Put), Innocent Nnamdi (Bronze, Men's Lightweight), Kolawole Esther (Bronze, Women's Freestyle 62kg), John Ogbonna Emmanuel (Bronze, Men's Freestyle 74kg).
Ogunkunle Isau (Bronze, Men's Singles Classes 3-5), Obazuaye Faith (Bronze, Women's Singles Classes 6-), Onyekwere Ifeanyi (Bronze, Men's over 92kg Super Heavy Weight), Umunnake Jacinta (Bronze, Women's 75kg) and Ogunsemilore Cynthia (Bronze, Women's over 57kg-60kg, Light Weight).
For Category, Team Coaches whose athletes won medals, they were awarded N1.5m each, while those who did not win with their athletes were appreciated with N600, 00 each.
Athletes Assistants were awarded N500,00 and Medical Team and Other accredited officials are to get N400,00 each.
