Abisola Olajuwon, the assistant coach of Nigeria’s women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, has voiced her frustration over unpaid bonuses following the conclusion of the Paris 2024 Olympics in France.

Despite Team Nigeria’s disappointing overall performance at the Paris 2024 Olympics, where they failed to secure a medal, D’Tigress emerged as a bright spot, making history as the first African nation, male or female, to reach the quarterfinals of the Olympic basketball tournament. Their campaign included a notable victory against Canada in their final group match.

Nigeria’s investment of N12 billion in their Paris Olympics campaign did not yield any medals, yet D’Tigress stood out with a remarkable run to the quarter-finals. This historic achievement featured a stunning 75-62 win over world number three Australia and a hard-fought triumph over world number five Canada, showcasing strategic brilliance and resilience.

Despite these outstanding performances, the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) and the sports ministry have yet to pay D’Tigress and their coaching staff their promised entitlements. Frustrated by the situation, Olajuwon took to social media to express her displeasure.

“Asking for updates for over two weeks about payment of allowances and being ignored privately and in the group text… Is the solution to pay your assistant coaches their allowances for their work?” wrote Olajuwon, daughter of NBA legend Hakeem Olajuwon, on her social media page.

Reflecting on her Olympic experience, Olajuwon shared, “To go to the Olympics and experience something my father did with the USA was a dream. I wanted to be at the Opening Ceremony since I was 8 at the Atlanta Olympics, but Nigeria denied women’s basketball and then had the Minister tell us we are young enough to go to the next one. Assistant coaches put blood, sweat, and tears into making sure players accomplished history.”

Olajuwon highlighted the sacrifices made by the assistant coaches, who worked tirelessly to prepare the team for the Olympics. “Assistant coaches scouting Germany, Serbia, Japan, Australia, France, Canada, and the USA… helped @_coachre Rena Wakama get coach of the year with @fiba. To now lie and not pay your coaches for their work and want to keep my money for the 3 games before the Olympics because I work in the @wnba is sad.”

“It is sad that the assistant coaches aren’t getting our money (that was promised) at all and are now being ignored. We made history… Give what was promised,” Olajuwon added. (BusinessDay)

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