Cynthia Uwak: Giving a Queen her Crown — By AgendaGod

Introduction

I spent the most part of my childhood in the then Rich Oil City of Warri in Delta State , Nigeria so it was exciting to know that the 2006 Africa Women’s Championship *(Currently Called the Women’s African Cup of Nations)* that was hosted by Nigeria *(as emergency hosts)* was played across Warri , Oleh , Oghara & Ughelli.

How Nigeria Got Hosting Rights

The D in Africa’s DNA stands for Disorganisation so it wasn’t a surprise Gabon withdrew from Hosting due to organisational reasons and this right was then handed over to Nigeria in May of 2006

The Legend that Never Was: Cynthia Uwak

Nigeria was drawn into Group A with Banyana Banyana of South Africa , Nzalang Femenino of Equatorial Guinea and the Fennecs of Algeria

Uwak bagged a brace in the first group game against EQ. Guinea in a 4–2 Win , scored a goal in a 0–6 drubbing against Algeria at the Warri Township Stadium before completing her group stage performance with yet another brace against South Africa in Oleh the same venue she opened her tournaments account

It was an 8 Team Format in 2006 so after the group stage , it was straight to the Semis where the Super Falcons sent the Indomitable Lionesses to the Sword by securing a ticket to the final after winning the game 5–0 with Uwak yet again scoring the opener for the then and still current record African Women Champions.

Conclusion

Cynthia Uwak might not have scored in the final of that tournament but it was a performance that everyone back then in Warri and lovers of the Women’s Game thought she would build on and move to Roving Heights especially at a time when the Legendary Perpetua Nkwocha was already approaching her Peak and Cynthia Uwak had scored 10 Goals across Two African Women’s Championships in 2004 and 2006