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Female soccer players in Africa, much like those in the United States, are often paid less than their male counterparts. Nigeria's women's national team, the Super Falcons, is by far the most successful in Africa, winning nine out of eleven continental titles. The team is preparing to represent Africa this month at the FIFA Women's World Cup in Australia. Timothy Obiezu reports from Abuja.]]
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((PLAYBOOK SLUG: NIGERIA WOMEN’S SOCCER
HEADLINE: Nigerian Women’s Soccer Team Still Fighting for Equal Pay
TEASER: Nigeria’s national female team, the Super Falcons are in Australia ahead of the FIFA 2023 Women’s World Cup
PUBLISHED AT: 07/18/2023 at 10:20am
BYLINE: Timothy Obiezu
CONTRIBUTOR:
DATELINE: ABUJA, NIGERIA
VIDEOGRAPHER:
VIDEO EDITOR: Salem Solomon, Bakhtiyar Zamanov
ASSIGNING EDITOR: Vincent Makori (For English to Africa’s ‘Our Voices’ TV show)
SCRIPT EDITORS: KEnochs; DLJ
VIDEO SOURCE: VOA Original
PLATFORMS: WEB __ TV X RADIO X
TRT: 2:55
VID APPROVED BY: pcpd
TYPE: TVPKG/RADIO
EDITOR NOTES: ))
((INTRO))
[[Female soccer players in Africa, much like those in the United States, are often paid less than their male counterparts. Nigeria's women's national team, the Super Falcons, is by far the most successful in Africa, winning nine out of eleven continental titles. The team is preparing to represent Africa this month at the FIFA Women's World Cup in Australia. Timothy Obiezu reports from Abuja.]]
((NARRATOR))
Blessing Emmanuel started playing soccer when she was only 12 years old. But her family initially resisted and tried to force her to quit.
((Blessing Emmanuel, Female Soccer Player)) ((Female, in English))
“My dad was like ‘no, I don’t think I want my daughter to be in the midst of boys,’ stuff like that. I just had to convince them.”
((NARRATOR))
And she did. In 2020, Emmanuel joined the Naija Ratels Football Club, and last year, she led Nigeria's Under-17 national team to India and the team won a bronze medal.
Naija Ratels’ coach, Sunny Udu, says the club’s initial objective was to help under-privileged girls.
((Sunny Udu, Naija Ratels Assistant Coach)) ((Male, in English))
“It’s not every girl child that has the opportunity to come from a very good home. You’ll discover that most of them, they’re in the streets doing what they don’t feel like doing, just for them to meet up some responsibilities.”
((NARRATOR))
Women’s soccer is increasingly popular in Africa and Nigeria’s national team, the Super Falcons, is among the most successful.
It is the only African team to participate in FIFA Women's World Cup since 1991 and is currently in Australia to take part in the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup starting next week.
Despite the success, female players say they’re often poorly compensated compared to their male counterparts and have been demanding equal pay.
Last week, the UK-based Daily Mail reported Nigerian players could boycott their first match against Canada on July 21 in protest over unpaid bonuses. Bunmi Oladeji is a member of the Super Falcons.
((Bunmi Oladeji, Female Soccer Player)) ((Female, in English))
“Being a girl child, the expectation of your parents is just for you to work, get married and then you start having children, but you, having the passion for soccer, this is where I want to make my money.”
((NARRATOR))
Supporters worry the disputes could dampen morale at the tournament, but the Nigerian Football Federation promised to address the issue. The Super Falcons’ assistant coach, Sunny Udu, thinks parity will happen.
((Sunny Udu, Assistant Coach Naija Ratels)) ((Male, in English))
“They want to see how what the male gets is what the female will get, but it will take time.”
((NARRATOR))
In March, FIFA, the organization coordinating soccer around the world, announced that every player in the Women’s World Cup will receive $30,000. Players on the winning team will each get $270,000.
That makes the trip worth the while for the Super Falcons – but still leaves them striving for better paydays from their home country.
((Timothy Obiezu for VOA News, Abuja, Nigeria.))
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
NetworkVOA
Embargo DateJuly 18, 2023 10:24 EDT
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
