Women’s football in Nigeria has been on the rise for the last five years with the amazing performance of the Under-17 women’s national team, the Flamingoes, and their Under-20 counterpart, the Falconets.

The senior national team, the Nigerian Super Falcons, did the country proud at the recently concluded African Women’s Championship hosted by South Africa as they took the giant trophy at the expense of defending champions Equatorial Guinea.

Some of the current and past Super Falcons players have become household names in Nigeria, with some of them receiving nicknames due to their brilliant performance on the pitch. Below is a profile of four key members of the Super Falcons, both active and inactive, and their nickname.

• Mercy Akide (Wonderful)

Mercy Akide remains the top scorer for the women’s national team to date, with over twenty goals in ten years. She was nicknamed Marvelous Mercy Akide due to the beautiful goals she scored and her unique and graceful technique. At the height of her career, she played club soccer in the United States before hanging up her soccer in both. She is currently married to prominent journalist Collins Udoh.

• Otuwe Gift (Kanu)

Gangling Gift Otuwe, who is among the tallest players in the current Super Falcons squad, is a forward currently plying her trade with Delta Queens of Asaba in Delta State Nigeria. She has the same physical attributes as the former captain of the Super Eagles, Nwankwo Kanu, which is why she was given the nickname Kanu. Blessed with amazing skills and aerial abilities, Gift Otuwe was an integral member of the Falconets team at the 2007 FIFA Women’s World Cup held in China. At 26, Gift “Kanu” Otuwe still has plenty to offer at senior level for years to come.

• Nkiru Okosieme (Director)

Nkiru Okosieme was born in 1972 into a family of footballers in Delta State Nigeria. A midfielder who had a distinguished career playing for the senior women’s national team, The Super Falcons, she was given the nickname Director due to her ability to score crucial goals through headers. She once scored a hat-trick in an African Women’s Championship match, all with headers. She was part of the Super Falcons team for the 1991 FIFA Women’s World Cup held in China and the 1995 FIFA World Cup held in Sweden.

• Kikelemo Ajayi (Mamayaro)

Kikelemo Ajayi was a left back player for the senior women’s national team, The Super Falcons of Nigeria. She also has the distinction of being the captain of the team that achieved success at the 2006 African Women’s Championship held in Nigeria. She also scored the opening goal in a 6-0 thrashing of Algeria. She earned the nickname Mamayaro because she plays the same position as former Super Eagles star defender Celestine Babayaro. She also similarly overlaps with the former Olympic gold medalist.