Kwara State governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has fulfilled a N5 million cash reward pledge to Nigeria’s first Olympic badminton medallist Mariam Eniola Bolaji in recognition of her historic achievement at last year’s Games.

The athlete, who became the first Nigerian to win a badminton medal at the Olympics, said she was “deeply grateful” for the governor’s “unwavering support, generosity, and passion for sports development”.

Following her return from the tournament, she received a heroic welcome and met with First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, who praised her feat and urged her to aim higher.

She was later led on a courtesy visit to the Kwara State Government House by the Chairman of the State Sports Commission, Alhaji Bola Mogaji, where she officially presented the medal to the governor, who also chairs the Nigeria Governors’ Forum.

“In his usual show of kindness and commitment to youth excellence, His Excellency approved the N5 million cash reward he had promised,” she said in a statement, adding that the gesture reflected his encouragement for young athletes.

She also thanked her sponsors and the Kwara State Sports Commission for their backing, pledging to continue representing both Kwara State and Nigeria with pride on the global stage.

“I remain committed to being a proud ambassador of Kwara State and Nigeria to the world,” she said.

The 18-year-old beat Ukraine’s Oksana Kozyna 21-9, 21-9 to secure a podium finish three years after her coach, Bello Oyebanji, died in a road accident as she was preparing for the Tokyo Paralympics.

“My late coach was the one who brought me through; he trained me and encouraged me. The medal is dedicated to him. He would be very, very happy and would be saying ‘I’m proud of you’,” she said after her win in 2024.