Get Guardian on GoogleOlopade traces Nigeria’s victory to Asaba 2025 Youth Games
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Presidential Candidate for the 2027 General Election, Mr Peter Obi, yesterday accused the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) of preventing him from greeting the country’s U-17 Women’s national football team, the Flamingos, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja. The Flamingos defeated Japan 2-1 on Saturday, in Morocco, to win the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
The Flamingos, who returned to Nigeria yesterday, were received by the NFF and the National Sports Commission (NSC) officials at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja.
In a statement yesterday, Obi alleged that the officials barred him from approaching the players, saying they feared losing their jobs if they did so.
He described the incident as another example of what he called the growing culture of toxic politics in Nigeria.
Obi said that he arrived at the airport around 7.00 a.m. on his way to Enugu when he saw the national team preparing to leave the airport after arriving.
He said: “With genuine joy and enthusiasm, I asked my protocol officer, Jackie Wayas, to find out whether I could greet and welcome the team. I was informed that officials of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) had refused and had requested that I not approach them because, if I did, they would all lose their jobs.”
He alleged that it was not the first time he had experienced such treatment at a sporting event, recalling that on March 25, 2025, he travelled to Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, for a World Cup qualifying match, where the governor welcomed him at the VIP stand.
“Following the match, other government officials went to greet the players, but I was again prevented from doing so. I was told by the officials that they would lose their jobs if I proceeded.”
Reacting to Obi’s allegation, the Federal Government, in a statement by the Special Assistant to the President on Social Media, Dada Olusegun, accused the NDC presidential candidate of attempting to politicise national sports teams and institutions.
He said that national athletes, including the Flamingos, “represent the entire Federal Republic of Nigeria, not any specific political party or individual ambition.”
Olusegun described Obi’s statement as an attempt to turn standard security and administrative procedures into a case of political victimisation.
“To spin standard security and administrative protocols into a narrative of political victimisation is a disservice to the unity that sport is meant to foster in our country,” he said.
Meanwhile, NSC’ Director General, Bukola Olopade, has attributed the Flamingos’ World Cup victory to a “strong foundation,” including their participation at the Asaba 2025 National Youth Games.
The victory makes Nigeria the first African nation to win the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, bringing an end to the continent’s long wait for the global crown and rewarding the Flamingos for a remarkable campaign in Morocco.
Olopade, who was part of the Federal Government’s delegation to Rabat, told The Guardian that the Lagos State government played an active role in the victory, adding: “Nine players in this Flamingos’ squad were part of Team Lagos that won the female football gold medal at Asaba 2025 National Youth Games. You can see the importance of investing in youth.”
At the ninth National Youth Games in Asaba in 2025, the young lads from Lagos defeated host state Team Delta 5–4 on penalties after the game ended 1–1 at regulation time. Team Lagos came from a goal down to equalise deep into added time. You can see that the victory at the World Cup was a result of long investment in youth development,” he said.
Olopade described the victory as a triumph for all Nigerians and expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his support and investment in sports.
