From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
President Muhammadu Buhari has assured Dream Team V1 that conquered Africa at the Senegal 2015 African U-23 Championship as well as the nation’s other victorious teams and athletes that their efforts would not go unrewarded.
Buhari who made the pledge yesterday while receiving the Glo/CAF Platinum Award from sports minister Solomon Dalung said all athletes who made the country proud from 1985 to 2015 would be rewarded. The date for the Presidential award has been fixed for January 21, 2016.
Dalung had last Thursday received the prestigious award on behalf of the president during the Globacom sponsored African Footballer of the Year award ceremony which took place at the International Conference Centre, Abuja.
While receiving the trophy and the certificate, the President expressed gratitude to the sponsors of the awards, stating: “ I was in office when the National U-17 team won the maiden edition of the FIFA World Cup in 1985 in China. Thirty years after, I am being presented again with a trophy won by the Golden Eaglets in Chile and the Africa U-23 Championship won by the Dream Team VI in Senegal. Surely, football likes me.”
Earlier, Barrister Solomon Dalung who was accompanied by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Mr Chinyeaka Christian Ohaa also presented a plaque from ‘Friends of Buhari’ to Mr President. The Minister said that all the awards were given to him for his good leadership since he assumed office as the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“ We are here to present to you all the awards and trophies for your exemplary leadership since you assumed office. The awards are also a reflection of how your good leadership has brought about change also in the sports sector. We thank you, your Excellency, for your support and we promise to follow in your footsteps of rewarding athletes for excellence” Dalung said.