Nigerian football needs unity, not tribal or regional politics

Nigerian football needs unity, not tribal or regional politics

By Abdulsalam Ibrahim Imam.

Chief Segun Odegbami remains one of the most respected names in the history of Nigerian football. His achievements as a player, particularly his contribution to the 1980 Africa Cup of Nations triumph, have earned him a permanent place in our football history. Because of this enormous respect, however, I believe his recent comments regarding the forthcoming Nigeria Football Federation election deserve a careful and honest response.

Nobody should be above criticism, and nobody should be denied the right to express an opinion about the direction of Nigerian football. If Chief Odegbami believes the current NFF administration has not performed well enough, he is entitled to make that argument. If he believes another candidate has a better vision, he is equally entitled to support that candidate.

But what should concern every genuine football lover is any attempt to turn an independent football election into a political, ethnic or regional contest.

Nigerian football belongs to all of us the North, South, East and West. The NFF should not be judged by where its president comes from, just as its next president should not be supported or opposed because of his geographical origin. What should matter is competence, vision, accountability, performance and the ability to unite the football community.

That is why calling for the intervention of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in an NFF election is, in my view, unnecessary and potentially dangerous. The NFF has its own constitution, Congress and electoral structures. The delegates who represent the various stakeholders in Nigerian football are the people who should determine who leads the federation.

If we truly believe in the independence of football administration, then we must allow the process to work. If there are grievances concerning the conduct of the election, there are legitimate football and legal channels through which such grievances can be addressed. Inviting the Presidency to intervene risks creating a precedent that could eventually undermine the independence of the federation.

And there is another important question that Nigerians deserve to ask: why was there no similar call for presidential intervention during the 2022 NFF election?

In 2022, President Muhammadu Buhari was the President of Nigeria. He was also from Northern Nigeria. Ibrahim Gusau eventually emerged as NFF President through the established football electoral process. If presidential intervention was considered necessary for the protection or reform of Nigerian football, why was that argument not made with the same urgency at that time?

This is precisely why we must be extremely careful about the language and arguments we use around football elections. When an argument appears to change depending on who occupies the Presidency or where an NFF candidate comes from, people will naturally begin to question whether football is being separated from regional and political considerations.

We should not allow Nigerian football to become another battlefield for tribal politics.

Chief Odegbami should, therefore, be encouraged to use his influence differently. As a football icon and elder statesman of the game, he has the credibility to demand accountability from every administration, regardless of who is in power or where the person comes from. He can challenge the NFF on its policies. He can demand better grassroots development, improved domestic competitions, stronger youth development structures, better welfare for players and coaches, improved infrastructure and greater transparency. These are the issues that deserve the attention of the football community.

But if the argument is that the current leadership should leave because Nigeria failed to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, then the discussion must be broader than one administration. Football failures are rarely the product of one individual alone. The NFF, coaches, players, clubs, leagues, state governments, football academies and other stakeholders all have roles to play in the development of the national game.

Likewise, successes should not be ignored simply because they do not fit a particular narrative. The Super Eagles reached the final of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, while the Super Falcons won the 2025 Women's Africa Cup of Nations. These achievements alongside many others do not mean the NFF should be immune from criticism, but they demonstrate that the record should be examined objectively rather than reduced to a single failure.

If there is a better candidate for the NFF presidency, let that candidate come forward with a convincing programme. Let the candidate tell Nigerian football stakeholders how he intends to improve the domestic leagues, strengthen grassroots football, develop coaches, improve refereeing, attract investment, support clubs and restore Nigeria's competitiveness internationally.

Then let the delegates decide.

That is democracy. That is football administration.

We cannot demand transparency and independence while simultaneously asking politicians to interfere whenever an election does not appear to be heading in the direction we prefer.

Chief Odegbami has earned the respect of generations of Nigerians. Nothing should diminish that legacy. But precisely because of that legacy, he should be a voice for unity rather than division.

Let us disagree on football policies without disagreeing along tribal lines. Let us challenge the NFF without attacking the integrity of the football system. Let us campaign for change without dragging the Presidency into an electoral process that should belong to football stakeholders.

The coming NFF election should be about one thing: who has the best vision and capacity to move Nigerian football forward.

Not North versus South.

Not tribe versus tribe.

Not political party versus political party.

Football should remain football, and the decision should remain with football stakeholders.

Abdulsalam Ibrahim Imam,

Northwest coordinator, Gusau 4+5 solidarity forum.