Nobody saw it coming but the red flags have always been there for those with discerning minds that the rot and decadence at the Nigerian Football Federation will not go on perpetually. It was just a matter of time because the expected hammer was long overdue.
So when the mass resignation of the NFF board under the leadership of Ibrahim Gusau became public knowledge, no one was left in doubt that the time for clean up had finally come. President Tinubu followed the exit of the former NFF officials with a directive for comprehensive reform of the Nigerian football as announced on August 27 by Bayo Onanuga, special Adviser on information and strategy .
Titled “president Tinubu Directs Comprehensive Football Reform”; the statement directed the chairman of the National sports commission Shehu Dikko to work with the NFF secretariat and engage other stakeholders towards ensuring continuity and begin the broad reform process.
Without looking too far, it is safe to say that the Gusau led NFF board mass resignations was triggered off by certain factors, the failure of the super Eagles to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, despite billions of naira released to settle all outstanding arrears of players and coaches and Super FALCONS failure to also qualify for the 2027 FIFA World Cup, a tournament that Nigeria had featured in consistently since her first appearance in 1991 as the first African country to make that historic outing.
For more than a decade now,the few achievements recorded by Nigerian teams both at the African continent and FIFA organised competitions have been more by grace, luck and individual skills of the players and not borne out of any thorough planning.
From poor graduation of players from the age group to the senior teams, frequent owing of players allowances and bonuses during crucial engagements to constant crisis of hiring Technical Head coaches for the senior teams especially the Super Eagles, the NFF has been wobbling from one crisis to another. This was the pathetic picture of Nigeria Football before the Presidential intervention fund to the tune of 17 billion naira to support all the national teams financially.
The statement announcing the reform was explicit that six key areas are to be covered and they are on governance, administration, stakeholder representation, development pathways, domestic competitions and accountability.
Expectations are high on what will become of the future of Nigerian football. Will the reform bring back the lost glory of Nigeria soccer empire which was a shinning light in Africa with a beautiful performance in FIFA organised competitions.
For millions of Nigerians who have come to love the game of soccer passionately, it is their belief that August 27 could become a memorable date and never forgotten if the things envisaged by the Presidential ordered reform works out effectively.
It is their belief that the lost glory of Nigerian soccer through years of negligence, alleged corruption and obvious bad administrations can not be restored by mere changing of faces alone, it requires the courage to dismantle a failed system, restore accountability, reward competence and rebuild the institutions that once made excellence possible.
It is the expectation of Nigerians that if the reform will achieve restoration of lost glory of yesteryears, there should be a clean up governance for all major football positions anchored on transparent elections, defined tenure and public reporting of major financial transactions while the Federal government should also stop treating the NFF as a political reward system but should rather be handled by those competent with the knowledge of soccer administration, that the Nigerian soccer league should be rebuilt with good and well maintained pitches, professional club management with youth academies attached to the clubs should be put in place while engagement of Head coaches for the teams should have a clear pattern for recruitment, payment of players and coaches should be prompt while the Super Eagles should be formed around the nucleus of well grown, talented players that will be blended with foreign based ones with necessary exposure and experience.
Nigerians home and abroad will look to a reform that will produce great teams that did Nigeria proud in continental competitions and fed the National team with great players. Teams like the IICC shooting stars of Ibadan, Rangers International of Enugu, Stationary stores of Lagos, Leventis United of Ibadan and kano pillars to mention just a few .
Expectations are high that will the reform bring back the old good days when Nigeria National teams won FIFA under 17 World Cup 5 Times, emerged as Runners up twice at the FIFA under 20 competition with 6 appearances at the FIFA men’s World Cup while the glorious days were rounded up with 9 unbroken record appearances at the Women’s World Cup since 1991 to 2023.
In all, Nigerians will be waiting to see if president Tinubu’s reform will eventually change the fortunes of Nigeria Football and make it a solid revenue earner for the nation as happened in UK premier League, French League, Spanish League and the Brazilian league to mention just few countries that are making it big time from the game of football.
This lofty goal is achievable if the reform can make a difference by ensuring that the Nigerian football is rebuilt around institutional discipline, accountability and professional administration. The days of “it is business as usual” should be gone forever. Therein lies the litmus test for those entrusted to drive the reform through and whosoever is found wanting should not be treated as sacred cows, enough of the misfortune that has befallen Nigerian football in the hands of those who ordinarily should have no business getting near the NFF glass house in Abuja.