Different opinions do not diminish qualifications. Nigerian football needs competent leadership, transparent selection, and accountabilityโnot compulsory agreement.
๐๐ฒ ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฅ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ค๐ฒ ๐๐ค๐จ๐ค๐ฎ
Somewhere along the way, we began confusing disagreement among former footballers with an inability to lead Nigerian football.
But since when did speaking with one voice become evidence of competence?
Whenever former internationals express different preferences for the leadership of the ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ ๐ ๐จ๐จ๐ญ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ ๐๐๐๐ซ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง (๐๐ ๐ ), accusations of division and fragmentation begin to surface.
One supports a former teammate. Another prefers a different candidate. Someone questions another aspirantโs administrative experience.
Suddenly, the discussion shifts from qualifications to whether footballers are capable of organizing themselves.
Yet the administrators, politicians, businessmen, and other stakeholders who have traditionally occupied positions of influence in Nigerian football disagree among themselves. They challenge one anotherโs credentials, compete for votes, build alliances, and sometimes become political adversaries.
They still contest elections. They still become NFF presidents.
๐๐ก๐ฒ ๐ฌ๐ก๐จ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ฆ๐๐ซ ๐๐จ๐จ๐ญ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐๐ ๐ฃ๐ฎ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ฒ ๐ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ง๐๐๐ซ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐จ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐ซ๐๐ช๐ฎ๐ข๐ซ๐๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฆ๐๐๐ญ?
๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐
Consider the NFF presidential election held in ๐๐๐ง๐ข๐ง ๐๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ on ๐๐๐ฉ๐ญ๐๐ฆ๐๐๐ซ ๐๐, ๐๐๐๐.
๐๐๐ซ๐๐ก๐ข๐ฆ ๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐๐ฎ, ๐๐๐ฒ๐ข ๐๐ค๐ข๐ง๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ง๐ฆ๐ข, ๐๐ก๐๐ก๐ฎ ๐๐ข๐ค๐ค๐จ, former international goalkeeper ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐ข๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ก, and other candidates contested the presidency.
In the first round, Gusau received ๐๐ votes, Akinwunmi ๐๐, and Dikko ๐ฌ๐ข๐ฑ. Gusau failed to secure the required majority.
Akinwunmi and Dikko subsequently withdrew, while Peterside continued into the runoff. Gusau eventually won by ๐๐ votes to ๐จ๐ง๐.
These were experienced football stakeholders with different ambitions, allegiances, and assessments of who should lead.
Nobody suspended the electoral process because they failed to agree on one candidate.
Nobody established unanimity as a prerequisite for becoming NFF president.
Their differences were resolved through an election.
Why should a similar competition among former internationals suddenly become evidence that footballers lack leadership capacity?
๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ซ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฅ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ง ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐จ๐ฐ๐ง ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐๐ ๐ซ๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ข๐ง๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ง๐ฌ๐ญ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฌ๐๐ฅ๐ฏ๐๐ฌ.
๐๐๐๐๐๐-๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐, ๐% ๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐: ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐?
Since ๐๐๐๐, the traditionally recognized founding year of Nigeriaโs football association, ๐๐ ๐ฒ๐๐๐ซ๐ฌ have passed.
Across that period, documented former Nigeria senior internationals have occupied ๐% of substantive NFA/NFF presidencies or chairmanships. ๐๐จ๐ญ ๐จ๐ง๐.
Yet for decades, traditional football administrators have competed, disagreed, challenged one another, and formed rival alliances while continuing to seek positions of influence.
Their disagreements have not prevented them from participating in leadership.
But when former footballers express different preferences, we are quick to describe ourselves as fragmented.
Meanwhile, the financial record demands far greater attention.
๐๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ข๐จ๐ง: The Federal Government intervention fund approved to address outstanding national-team obligations. In ๐๐ฎ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐๐๐, the ๐๐๐จ๐ง๐จ๐ฆ๐ข๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ ๐ข๐ง๐๐ง๐๐ข๐๐ฅ ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ฆ๐๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ข๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง confirmed that its investigation into the fundโs utilization remained ongoing.
๐๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ข๐จ๐ง: The higher intervention figure reported in connection with the same funding controversy. The ๐๐ซ๐๐ฐ๐ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ๐ก ๐๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ ๐จ๐ซ๐ฎ๐ฆ publicly demanded an investigation into the reported amount. The difference between the โฆ12 billion and โฆ17 billion accounts requires a clear reconciliation from the relevant authorities.
๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ฑ๐ข๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐๐ฅ๐ฒ โฆ๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ข๐จ๐ง: The running public-record ledger identified in my continuing examination of nearly three decades of NFF-related financial controversies, encompassing questioned expenditures, audit findings, investigations, and other documented financial scrutiny. These categories cannot be treated collectively as proven stolen funds.
This is the history against which any discussion of Nigerian football leadership must be measured.
๐ ๐ซ๐๐ฏ๐จ๐ฅ๐ฏ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐จ๐ซ ๐จ๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ซ๐ฎ๐ฉ๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ, financial controversies, and unanswered accountability questions cannot be separated from the conduct of those entrusted with managing the institution.
Public funds intended for football development, players, coaches, and national-team obligations must be accounted for. Where investigations establish diversion for personal consumption, those responsible must face the consequences.
The standard is not complicated: ๐ฆ๐จ๐ง๐๐ฒ ๐ซ๐๐๐๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ญ๐๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ, ๐จ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐ ๐ก๐จ๐ง๐จ๐ซ๐๐, ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฅ๐๐๐๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐ก๐ข๐ฉ ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐ง๐ฌ๐ฐ๐๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ข๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ฐ๐๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ก๐ข๐ฉ.
Disagreement exists in corporate boardrooms, professional associations, political institutions, and football administration itself.
Sometimes, in our eagerness to criticize one another, we unintentionally reinforce perceptions that weaken our collective standing. Outside voices can then magnify differences that would be considered normal competition elsewhere.
For ๐๐ ๐ฒ๐๐๐ซ๐ฌ, former senior internationals have recorded ๐% representation in the federationโs substantive presidency, yet we sometimes subject ourselves to a unity test that traditional administrators have never been required to pass.
We cannot continue measuring footballers by their disagreements while overlooking the documented leadership record of those who have governed the institution.
๐๐ก๐๐ซ๐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ง๐๐ฒ?
๐๐ก๐๐ซ๐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ญ๐๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ?
๐๐ก๐๐ซ๐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฅ๐๐๐๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐ก๐ข๐ฉ ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ฑ๐๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐?
Those questions deserve at least as much attention as whether two former teammates agree on a presidential candidate.
๐๐ก๐ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ง๐๐๐ซ๐ ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฉ๐๐ญ๐๐ง๐๐. ๐๐ก๐ ๐ซ๐๐ช๐ฎ๐ข๐ซ๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ญ๐๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ. ๐๐ก๐ ๐จ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐ฎ๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ข๐ซ.
๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐: ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐
For decades, many former Nigerian internationals have remained trapped in the public imagination as footballers whose achievements ended with their playing careers.
People remember their goals, tackles, trophies, and national-team appearances.
But what happened after the final whistle?
Some became ๐ฅ๐๐ฐ๐ฒ๐๐ซ๐ฌ, ๐๐๐ง๐ค๐๐ซ๐ฌ, ๐ฌ๐๐ข๐๐ง๐ญ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐ฌ, ๐๐๐ฎ๐๐๐ญ๐จ๐ซ๐ฌ, ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐๐ญ๐ ๐๐ฑ๐๐๐ฎ๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ฌ, ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐ง๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฌ, and ๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐๐ง๐ข๐ณ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐ฅ๐๐๐๐๐ซ๐ฌ. Others developed careers involving substantial responsibility for personnel, budgets, projects, and institutions.
These accomplishments deserve proper consideration.
My recent initiative highlighting the professional achievements of former internationals was built around that conviction.
Drawing on my management-consulting experience, I established preliminary screening criteria rather than selecting individuals based on popularity, friendship, or sporting reputation.
A ๐๐๐๐ก๐๐ฅ๐จ๐ซโ๐ฌ ๐๐๐ ๐ซ๐๐ could satisfy the academic threshold. Where that qualification was absent, approximately ๐๐ ๐ฒ๐๐๐ซ๐ฌ of clearly documented senior management or organizational leadership experience could provide an alternative route.
The assessment also considered responsibility for people, resources, departments, projects, businesses, and institutions.
Some individuals met the criteria. Others remained on hold pending additional verification. Some did not meet the evidentiary threshold.
๐๐๐๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ ๐ซ๐๐๐ง-๐๐ง๐-๐ฐ๐ก๐ข๐ญ๐ ๐ฃ๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐๐ฒ ๐ง๐๐ฏ๐๐ซ ๐ ๐ฎ๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐๐ ๐ข๐ง๐๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง.
The exercise relied on publicly available information. It was not an official NFF screening process, a comprehensive background investigation, or an endorsement of any individual for the presidency.
Its purpose was to challenge an outdated perception.
A footballer who becomes an accomplished executive deserves to be evaluated as an accomplished executiveโnot permanently confined to the identity he carried onto the pitch.
๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐
There is a difference between building credible collective representation for footballers and expecting every former international to endorse the same presidential candidate.
Playersโ unions require legitimate membership, democratic participation, accountable leadership, and a mandate to protect playersโ interests.
An NFF presidential contest serves another purpose: choosing an individual to lead a national football institution.
Former footballers are independent citizens with different experiences, convictions, and professional judgments.
Disagreement should not automatically become a declaration of disunity.
Nor should outside commentary persuade us to question one anotherโs credibility before examining the facts.
Journalists and other stakeholders have every right to scrutinize aspirants. But scrutiny should illuminate qualifications, not inflame personal rivalries.
๐๐ ๐ฌ๐ก๐จ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐๐จ๐ง๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ ๐ข๐ง๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ง๐๐๐ง๐ญ ๐ฏ๐จ๐ข๐๐๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐ข๐ง๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐ญ๐ฎ๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐ฐ๐๐๐ค๐ง๐๐ฌ๐ฌ.
A profession can disagree over personalities while remaining united around accountability, fairness, and football development.
๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐
My preference would be to see a genuinely qualified former international entrusted with leading Nigerian football.
Such an individual could bring firsthand understanding of playersโ welfare, development pathways, national-team responsibilities, and the sacrifices involved in representing oneโs country.
But playing experience alone cannot substitute for administrative competence.
Equally, I would support a highly qualified non-footballer whose leadership record, integrity, and vision offer a credible route forward.
Neither group should enjoy immunity from scrutiny.
Can the candidate oversee institutional finances? Establish effective governance? Strengthen domestic competitions? Attract commercial partnerships? Develop youth football? Protect players and coaches? Assemble competent professionals?
And can that individual explain past decisions and accept responsibility for future ones?
Nigeriaโs recurring football-governance controversies make these standards indispensable.
Experience in office should be examined, not automatically rewarded. Unresolved financial questions deserve documented answers. Familiarity with the corridors of power is not proof of fitness to govern.
๐๐๐๐จ๐ซ๐ฆ ๐๐๐ง๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐ฌ๐ข๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐๐๐ง ๐๐ก๐๐ง๐ ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐จ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฉ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ง ๐จ๐๐๐ข๐๐ ๐ฐ๐ก๐ข๐ฅ๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐๐ซ๐ฏ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐๐๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ฐ๐๐๐ค๐๐ง๐๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ข๐ง๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐ญ๐ฎ๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง.
๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐
Before demanding that former footballers unite behind one aspirant, Nigerians deserve clarity about the applicable nomination, eligibility, screening, and electoral procedures.
Those seeking office must present their credentials, defend their records, explain their programmes, and persuade the authorized decision-makers.
A public recommendation is not an appointment. A photograph on a poster is not proof of executive readiness.
Let every eligible candidate face the same transparent process.
I remember football as a game in which teammates sometimes disagreed fiercely about tactics, positioning, and decisions. Yet we could still recognize one anotherโs abilities when the whistle sounded.
Life after football should not demand intellectual uniformity where the playing field never did.
๐๐ ๐๐จ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ง๐๐ข๐๐๐ญ๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ง๐๐๐ซ๐. ๐๐ ๐๐จ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฌ๐ฉ๐๐๐ค ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐ฏ๐จ๐ข๐๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ญ๐๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ.
And we do not have to diminish another former international to establish our own judgment.
๐๐ก๐ ๐ฃ๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐๐ฒ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ง๐๐ข๐ญ๐ก๐๐ซ ๐๐ง ๐๐ฎ๐ญ๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐ข๐ ๐ช๐ฎ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ข๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ง๐จ๐ซ ๐ ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ช๐ฎ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ข๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง.
Let experience be examined. Let competence be demonstrated. Let integrity withstand scrutiny.
Let the best-qualified candidate emerge through a credible process.
๐๐ข๐ ๐๐ซ๐ข๐๐ง ๐๐จ๐จ๐ญ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐๐จ๐๐ฌ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐ง๐๐๐ ๐๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฒ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐ฌ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ฆ๐ ๐ฌ๐จ๐ง๐ .
๐๐ญ ๐ง๐๐๐๐ฌ ๐ฅ๐๐๐๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐ก๐จ ๐ฎ๐ง๐๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ฉ๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐ข๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐จ๐ ๐๐จ๐ง๐๐ฎ๐๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐จ๐ซ๐๐ก๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐.
*๐๐๐ฎ๐ฅ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ค๐ฒ ๐๐ค๐จ๐ค๐ฎ is a
FIFA Legend | Former Nigeria Flying Eagles Vice-Captain | Former Super Eagles International | AFCON Silver Medalist | Football Historian | Football Analyst | Investigative Football Writer | Journalist-at-Large | Founder & CEO, Greater Tomorrow Childrenโs Fund (GTCF)
For feedback, comments, corrections, or documented contributions:
๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ฌ๐ ๐๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐ซ๐๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฌ๐ก๐๐ซ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ฌ๐จ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ฐ๐ ๐๐๐ง ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ฅ๐๐๐ซ๐ง, ๐๐ฌ๐ค ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ซ๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ ๐ช๐ฎ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ก๐๐ฅ๐ฉ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ญ๐๐๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐ซ๐ข๐๐ง ๐๐จ๐จ๐ญ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ.
