Minister of Youth and Sports Development Sunday Dare has assured the mothers of late Rashidi Yekini and Samuel Okwaraji more benefits from the Nigerian government.
The Minister earlier this week donated food items and placed the mother of Super Eagles all-time goalscorer Yekini on a monthly stipend.
The 1993 Africa Player of the Year, who was famous for his goalscoring prowess during his playing years, died in May 2012 after battling with an illness in Ibadan.
Okwaraji, meanwhile, collapsed during Nigeria’s 1990 World Cup qualifying game against Angola in Lagos and subsequently passed away.
Dare has assured the sacrifices of the legends will not be in vain, revealing their parents will be well catered for by the government.
“Our athletes are the actors and we must factor their well-being and sports readiness into our plans,” Dare tweeted.
“The public are the ultimate consumers of the content athletes orchestrate. They sustain sports and their well-being and participation are critical to the sustenance of the sports industry.
“The Mothers of Rashidi Yekini and Sam Okwaraji will enjoy more benefits and remuneration as soon as the Ministry works out other details.
“The final details will be privately communicated. What government has done is to reach out and recognize the labours of these soccer heroes through their mothers.
“We value motherhood and service, and no contributor to our nation will be left behind as we seek to beat a new path,”
Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has also backed the Minister by pledging to place the mothers of the duo on a N30, 000 monthly stipend.
“In furtherance to, and in appreciation of, the recent pronouncement of the Honorable Minister Sports Sunday Dare to put the mothers of late ex-internationals Sam Okwaraji and Rashidi Yekini on a monthly stipend,” NFF tweeted.
“The NFF has decided to support this noble initiative with a further monthly stipend of N30k to each of the two matriarchs.
“In addition, the NFF will henceforth review the situation of surviving mothers of our ex-internationals that died in active service for the country and resolve what to do for them on a monthly basis.”
