The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, has called on the Federal Government to extend the same level of appreciation given to the Super Falcons to their coaches.
Speaking during a sermon titled ‘The Winning Team’ at RCCG’s monthly Thanksgiving service held at the Throne of Grace Parish in Ebute-Metta, Lagos, Pastor Adeboye commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the mouthwatering rewards given to each player but insisted that the coaches deserve equal appreciation.
“I thank the President for the gift to the Falcons. However, I don’t agree that coaches should receive less than the players,” Adeboye said. “Without the coaches, the team would not succeed. God bless the coaches—we need them.”
He went on to stress the vital role coaches play in building a successful team, using a personal story from 1960 to drive his point home.
“Back in 1960, I had a coach who gave us a tough time. At one point, we confronted him, wondering if we were being trained for the army. But today, I thank him. He built strength in us. He’d ask me to push a wall as if I wanted to pull it down. A good coach sees your potential and pushes you to be better,” he recounted.
Quoting scripture, Adeboye added, “Wisdom is better than strength. You can be strong and still lose. The race is not always to the swift, nor the battle to the strong—it is to those whom God has shown mercy.”
Also speaking at the event was Balogun, who echoed Adeboye’s sentiments and warned young athletes against relying on performance-enhancing drugs.
“In line with what our father in the Lord advised, athletes should work hard and, most importantly, seek divine support. Relying on drugs or artificial enhancements undermines discipline. If you’re caught, you’ll be disqualified. It’s not worth it,” Balogun said.
He added, “In Nigeria, before you win, you have to fight. And while God has His role to play, we must also do our part. Faith and effort go hand in hand.”
The Federal Government had earlier gifted each Super Falcons player $100,000 and conferred national honours of Member of the Order of the Niger (MON) on them. However, no mention was made of the coaching crew receiving a similar package.
