By Akeem Busari
The fortunes and misfortunes of Nigerian football has been up for debates in the past few weeks, with concerned stakeholders and lovers of the game, throwing brickbats back and forth.
The present leadership of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), had set plans to hold its elective congress in Lafia, Nasarawa State, in September 2026, until a statement from the National Sports Commission cancelled the planned elections.
Many parts of the existing statutes of the NFF, are reportedly skewed and is known to disenfranchised many individuals and groups from participating in the electoral processes into the board of the NFF.
Expectedly, this NFF elections has attracted a most widespread interests, more so, due to the unfortunate happenstances in Nigerian football, particularly, with the several disappointing outings of the various Nigeria male and female teams, as well as, in the age-grade categories.
Contributing to the ongoing calls for a somewhat revolution in the Nigeria football ecosystem, a group of young Nigerians under the aegis of Young Professionals For Tinubu (YP4T), have tasked the federal government to intervene and save Nigeria football from free fall and total doom.
“It common knowledge that the fortunes of Nigeria football, has in recent times, been on the downward slope. And it is, indeed, very worrisome,” noted Hon. Alex Oware, the National Coordinator of YP4T.
“Nigeria football is suffering from serious politics that has continued to mitigate against the development and growth of the game in Nigeria.
“For several decades, the leadership of the game in Nigeria, have been a collective disappointment to the expectations of the lovers of the game in the country.
“Football, is without a doubt, one of the most veritable tool used for youth and socio-economic empowerment of the society. Politicians have often used it, too, to gain public support.
“Therefore, we call on His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to beam his lights on the actions and inactions of the past and present leadership of this sport, and help chart a new path for the future of the game, having given several billions of naira to the National Sports Commission, in support of the development of football in Nigeria.
Obviously miffed by the situations concerning Nigerian football, Hon. Oware, stated further, “Our football needs a revolution, that brings in fresher ideas and innovations for it to attain its expected heights.
“We know that this sport is opium to the people and our dear father, President Bola Tinubu, must as a matter of urgency and national importance, call for the restructuring of the NFF, in line with his government’s Renewed Hope Agenda,” Oware added.
