This is the worst period in Nigerian football history – Odegbami

PRThis is the worst period in Nigerian football history – Odegbami

...Heads to court to stop September polls in Lafia

Former Green Eagles captain and Nigerian football icon Segun Odegbami has described the current state of Nigerian football as the worst period in the country’s history, as he prepares to approach the court in a bid to stop the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) from conducting its scheduled September 27 election.

Odegbami, a Member of the Order of Niger and multiple award-winning sports ambassador, is leading calls for a comprehensive overhaul of Nigeria’s football architecture, insisting that the country must address the structural and administrative problems confronting the sport before proceeding with another election.

The former international strongly believes conducting the election without first addressing the fundamental issues within the football administration could produce the same results that, in his view, have contributed to the decline of Nigerian football.

“My involvement dates back to the 70s when football was actually being established properly in Nigeria. I came in as a football player, and I later became an administrator, and a journalist, as well as a football scholar. I'm a business person in football,” Odegbami said.

“So I know the history very well. I know where we are coming from, I know where we derailed, and I know where we are now. Where we are now is not where we should be. This is the worst period in our football history, where we have lost everything. And yet, we have the largest pool of talent, probably in the world.”

Odegbami questioned why Nigeria, despite its enormous football talent, continues to struggle to achieve the standards expected of a country with its football history.

“Whereas we should be fulfilling what legendary Pele said many, many decades ago, here we are, we are struggling to even get out of Africa. So something is wrong,” he said.

The former Green Eagles skipper called for a forensic examination of the country's football architecture, covering its past, present and future, with the objective of producing a framework that reflects Nigeria's laws and national interests.

“Let us interrogate the whole gamut of it. Let us do it forensically, of all our previous, present, and future,” he said.

A major part of Odegbami's criticism centred on the composition and democratic structure of football administration, particularly representation within the football congress.

He argued that the current system has created what he described as a “lopsidedness” that is affecting the credibility of the electoral process.

“We now have members who are not conforming to democratic representation that FIFA itself depicts. FIFA talks about democratic representation. That means you will vote, that means you have equal votes, and that means you are done by Congress,” he said.

Odegbami also questioned the allocation of designated slots for representation, insisting that genuine democratic participation requires equal representation.

“It has to be equal representation. Those are basic things. We are not fighting anybody, all of us are friends. All we are saying is, we have a vision that football in this country should be amongst the best in the world,” he added.

He further urged legislators and policymakers to consult experienced football stakeholders and examine the historical documents surrounding the administration of the game before making decisions that could shape its future.

The football icon also advocated broader participation in the reform process, involving the private sector, state governments, former players, administrators and other stakeholders.

According to him, the solution should not simply be about conducting an election, but about creating an administrative system capable of delivering sustainable development.

Odegbami warned that rushing into the September 27 election without fixing the underlying structural problems could simply reproduce the same leadership outcome and leave Nigerian football facing another four years of stagnation.

“If we do what they are saying we should do, we will get the same old results, another four years, weA know that we end up in failure,” he warned.

The former international has therefore indicated that he is preparing to seek judicial intervention to prevent the NFF from proceeding with the September 27 election, arguing that the electoral process should first be subjected to a broader review.

His position adds another layer to the growing debate over the future direction of Nigerian football administration, with the proposed election increasingly becoming a focal point in the struggle for structural reform.

Odegbami also criticised the financial burden associated with contesting football elections, arguing that the process has become too expensive and risks shutting out qualified stakeholders who lack substantial financial resources.

“Its not about an ex-international footballer to become president of Nigeria but rather providing a level playing field getting the nomination and representative for the NFF election,” he said.

He argued that football administration must not be politicised or monetised to the point where candidates are compelled to spend huge sums on campaigns, endorsements and securing votes.

For Odegbami, the battle is ultimately bigger than the September election or individual personalities.

He believes Nigeria possesses the players, infrastructure, technology and human resources required to rebuild its football, but that these resources must be matched by a transparent, democratic and functional administrative structure.

As he prepares for a possible legal challenge to the September 27 election, the former Green Eagles captain is insisting that the time has come to “rescue” Nigerian football and create an architecture capable of restoring the country to its rightful place in the global game.

Source: Sports Salsa on Kennis FM