National Teams
Asisat Oshoala admonishes Nigeria Football Administrators on Super Falcons marketing
By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde
Asisat Lamina Oshoala, a forward for Bay FC of America, has addressed the issue of wage inequality between male and female football players in Nigeria, asserting that the senior women’s national team (Super Falcons) could generate comparable revenue to their men counterparts (Super Eagles) if they received equivalent marketing efforts.
In light of the recent achievement of equal pay for both men and women national team players in the United States, Oshoala emphasized that a similar outcome is attainable in Nigeria, provided that the country’s football administrators accord greater respect to female athletes.
The 30-year-old, who has a rich history with clubs such as FC Robo Queens in Lagos and Barcelona in Spain, underscored the urgent need to confront gender equality in Nigerian football, given that both male and female players engage in the same sport.
Oshoala remarked, ‘In terms of investment, there is a prevailing belief that men are more deserving of higher wages than women, despite both groups performing identical roles and undergoing the same training. They provide equal entertainment value.’
She expressed her disbelief that anyone could justify a significant pay gap based solely on gender.
The six-time African Women Footballer of the Year, who has also played for Liverpool Ladies, Arsenal Women, and Dalian Quanjian in China, criticized the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for perpetuating arguments that support gender pay disparity.
Oshoala noted, ‘The federation often claims that the men generate more revenue during the World Cup, leading them to conclude that women should not receive equal pay because the male team brings in more financial returns than the women’s team.’
She concluded by advocating for enhanced marketing strategies to promote the women’s game in Nigeria.
