Former Flamingos head coach Bankole Olowokere has hailed Nigeria’s emphatic start to the WAFU-B U-17 Girls’ Cup but warned that the team must not allow their 5-0 demolition of Niger Republic to hide areas that still require improvement.
Nigeria opened their campaign in Yamoussoukro in commanding fashion, with captain Harmony Chidi, Awawu Bashiru, Ohunene Sunday, Mary Dunstan and Ayomide Rotimi finding the net.
Reacting to the performance, Olowokere stressed the importance of beginning a tournament with victory, particularly for young players dealing with the pressure of international competition.
According to the former coach, such an emphatic opening result should help the players settle quickly and give them greater confidence heading into tougher assignments.
However, Olowokere believes there is still considerable work ahead.
While describing Nigeria as one of Africa’s leading nations at youth level, he maintained that the current Flamingos remain “a work in progress” and must continue fine-tuning different aspects of their game.
The warning comes despite an impressive performance in which Nigeria controlled proceedings and kept Niger goalkeeper Onyiyechi Opara largely untroubled, with three late goals turning an already comfortable advantage into a five-goal rout.
The WAFU-B tournament also serves as valuable preparation for the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco, giving the technical crew an opportunity to assess the team under competitive conditions before the global tournament.
For Olowokere, therefore, the opening victory represents exactly that — a positive beginning rather than evidence that the job is complete.
Five goals may have announced the Flamingos’ arrival in Yamoussoukro, but Olowokere’s message is clear: confidence should grow with victory, while the hard work must continue.
