Women’s national basketball team, D’Tigress, have showered praises on President Bola Tinubu and Zenith Bank Plc over the rosy reception accorded the team shortly after winning the continental title for the 5th straight time.
The Federal Government announced a cash reward of 100,000 dollars equivalent in Naira to each of the players and 50,000 to the technical crew members.
They also bagged national honour of OON and a 3- bedroom flat apartment each.
Zenith Bank at another reception few hours after gave the entire team N200m with each of the 13 players to get N10m while the technical crew will share the remaining. Zenith Bank, the sponsor of the women league in the country for 18 years celebrated the team for making it a fifth back-to-back success on the continent with the team also excelling at the last Olympic Games in Paris where the D’Tigress finished eighth overall.
Two of the players, Murjanatu Musa and Ifunaya Okoro, were product of the league as well as the coach of the team, Rena Wakama, who also played for First Bank in the Zenith Bank Women Basketball League during her career as a player.
Speaking with our correspondent, the captain of the team, and the Most Valuable Player of the AfroBasket, Amy Okonkwo, on behalf of the team, appreciated the financial institution for doing a lot for women’s basketball in the country.
“I want to appreciate Zenith Bank for what they have been doing for women’s basketball in Nigeria and the reward given to the players and officials,” she said.
“We are grateful as a team and hope the company will continue to invest in the team and basketball in Nigeria. We thank President Tinubu for appreciating us.”
Also speaking at the reception organised for the team, Coach Wakama says she has been in support of what the financial institution has been doing to support women basketball in the country.
According to her: “So far so good, what Zenith Bank has been doing is amazing. We also thank the Federal Government for hosting us and making us feel good.
“They have been the foundation of giving young women the opportunity to follow their dreams and we’re so thankful for them.”
