The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, has called for better recognition and compensation for Nigerian sports coaches, emphasizing their crucial role in shaping successful athletes.
Speaking during the RCCG’s monthly Thanksgiving Service on Sunday at the church’s national headquarters in Ebute-Meta, Lagos, the revered cleric lauded President Bola Tinubu for his generous rewards to the victorious Super Falcons, but expressed concern over the comparatively lower reward given to the team’s coaching staff.
President Tinubu had recently awarded each of the 24 players of the Super Falcons the naira equivalent of $100,000, along with three-bedroom apartments, following their historic 10th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title win in Morocco. The technical team, led by head coach Justin Madugu, received $50,000 each, half of what the players were given.
In his sermon titled “The Winning Team,” Pastor Adeboye applauded the President’s gesture but questioned the logic behind offering less to the coaching staff.
“I thank the President for the gifts to the Falcons. However, I am not quite sure I agree that the coaches should get less than the players because, without coaches, the team will not succeed,” he stated.
“Players depend on the experience, direction, and technical know-how of their coaches. Coaches see potential and push athletes to be better. They should be equally appreciated.”
Drawing from his own youth as a trained boxer in the 1960s, Adeboye recounted his own experience with a demanding coach who shaped his discipline and resilience.
“Back in 1960, I had a coach who gave us a tough time. At one point, we thought we were being trained for the army. He pushed us to our limits—asking us to push walls like we wanted to bring them down,” he recalled.
“But today, I thank him. He built strength and endurance in us.”
Pastor Adeboye also referenced Revelation 2:17, saying that the Bible supports the idea of rewarding overcomers and victors. He noted that while in earlier decades athletes were lucky to receive a handshake, today's generation is now being honoured with financial rewards and housing—a sign of progress he welcomed wholeheartedly.
“When they said each will get $100,000, I said, ‘Wow!’ In our days, all we got was a handshake. Today, they get cash, homes, and national honours. That’s progress.”
While the octogenarian preacher stressed he didn’t want to spark controversy, he maintained that equitable treatment of players and coaches was necessary to sustain and grow excellence in Nigerian sports.
His remarks come as conversations around athlete welfare and the treatment of sports professionals continue to gain momentum in Nigeria. Pastor Adeboye’s intervention adds a powerful moral voice to the call for reforms and fair compensation across all tiers of Nigerian sports management.