By Arabinrin Aderonke

I write as a concerned stakeholder in Nigerian football, with almost two decades of active engagement in the sports sector, to respectfully draw your attention to reports of a proposal to bring a former president of the Nigeria Football Federation back into the administration of Nigerian football as head of a proposed Normalisation Committee within the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) structure. Sir, I believe such a proposal deserves careful, objective and independent consideration. At a time when Nigerian football is confronted by significant institutional, administrative and developmental challenges, the choice of individuals entrusted with the responsibility of resetting the game is of enormous national importance.

This is therefore not simply a question of appointing an individual. It is about determining whether the next phase of Nigerian football administration will represent genuine reform or a return to familiar structures and personalities. My concern is not personal; it is about institutional performance, accountability and the future of Nigerian football. Mr Pinnick served as NFF President from 2014 to 2022, spanning two terms in office. During that period, Nigerian football experienced notable successes, but it also suffered setbacks that deserve honest examination.

One of the most painful setbacks was the failure of the Super Eagles to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup after Ghana eliminated Nigeria in the final qualifying playoff. FIFA’s records confirm that Nigeria subsequently missed the tournament in Qatar. For a football nation with Nigeria’s history, talent and expectations, missing the World Cup was a significant disappointment. The issue, however, goes beyond one qualification failure. The more fundamental question is whether the administrative philosophy and institutional structures associated with previous leadership can provide the solution to challenges that have persisted and, in some areas, become more pronounced.

The problems confronting Nigerian football today did not emerge overnight. They include weaknesses in grassroots development, inadequate football infrastructure, inconsistent youth development programmes, poor league administration, concerns about the welfare of players and coaches, financial accountability and the continuing struggle to translate Nigeria’s enormous football talent into sustained international success. These challenges require a serious institutional reset. A normalisation committee, if ultimately considered necessary, should therefore be constituted in a manner that inspires confidence across the football community.

Its members should be selected on the basis of competence, integrity, independence, experience and a demonstrable commitment to rebuilding the game. It should not become an avenue for recycling individuals or reproducing structures that stakeholders believe contributed to the present difficulties. Anyone considered for such a sensitive national assignment should be subjected to the highest level of scrutiny. There have been controversies and allegations surrounding the administration of Nigerian football over the years, but I am not suggesting that allegations should be treated as established facts, nor am I seeking to make personal accusations.

Rather, my argument is simple: where an individual is being considered for a position of enormous national responsibility, every relevant aspect of his or her public record should be examined objectively. That examination should include achievements, failures, institutional relationships, financial and administrative records, previous policy decisions and the overall impact of the person’s tenure. Nigeria cannot afford to approach football reform on the basis of sentiment, familiarity or political convenience. We need to approach it on the basis of evidence.

Sir, Nigerian football needs reformers—not merely administrators. We need people capable of restoring confidence among players, coaches, supporters, sponsors, club owners, state football associations and the millions of Nigerians who regard football as an important part of our national identity. We need leadership that will develop a sustainable grassroots football structure capable of identifying talent in schools, communities and local academies. We need investment in coaching education and technical development.

We also need stronger domestic competitions and a professional league capable of retaining talented players and attracting serious investment. We need better welfare structures for players and coaches, transparency in the management of football resources and, above all, a clear long-term technical and administrative strategy that does not change every time there is a change of leadership. These are not impossible goals. They are essential foundations for building a football system worthy of Nigeria’s enormous potential.

Nigeria possesses extraordinary football talent. Nigerian players continue to make their mark in major leagues around the world, while our national teams have demonstrated that, when properly organised and supported, they can compete with the best. The problem is therefore not a shortage of talent. The problem is how that talent is identified, developed, managed and converted into consistent national success. This is why the choice of leadership matters so much.

The Federal Government’s Renewed Hope agenda has repeatedly emphasised performance, accountability, institutional reform and the primacy of national interest. Any intervention in Nigerian football should therefore reflect those same principles. A normalisation process should be a genuine opportunity to establish a credible foundation for the future. It should not simply become a mechanism for returning the game to the past.

Sir, I respectfully urge you to look beyond whatever representations may have been made to you and examine the facts independently. There is sufficient information in the public domain to assess the performance and antecedents of individuals who may be considered for this responsibility. Such an assessment should be transparent and should involve credible football stakeholders, technical experts, former players, coaches, administrators, grassroots developers and other professionals who understand the realities of the Nigerian game.

The process should also be insulated, as much as possible, from personal interests and political considerations. Nigerian football is too important to become a platform for settling political or administrative scores. Equally, it is too important to be used to reward individuals because of their relationships or past affiliations. The objective must be bigger than any individual. It must be the restoration of Nigerian football.

My intervention is not motivated by malice, political interest or personal gain. It is a sincere appeal from someone who has spent almost two decades engaging with football stakeholders and who cares deeply about the future of the Nigerian game. I believe Nigeria is capable of building a football administration that is transparent, accountable, technically competent and internationally respected. We can build a system where young talents from every part of the country have a genuine pathway from grassroots football to the highest level.

We can strengthen our domestic competitions, restore confidence in our national teams and create an environment in which players and coaches are treated professionally. We can also build an NFF structure that Nigerians can trust. But achieving these goals requires courage to embrace fresh thinking and the willingness to place institutional reform above personalities. The future of Nigerian football should not be determined by nostalgia or familiarity.

Sir, this is why I appeal to you at this moment. Please do not allow Nigeria to take a step backwards at a time when Nigerian football urgently requires a new direction. If a Normalisation Committee is to be established, let it be a committee that represents renewal rather than repetition. Let its members be people whose records demonstrate competence, accountability, integrity and a genuine commitment to national development.

The foundation for this performance transformation lies in the implementation of a robust culture and attitudinal change program, especially through the institutionalisation of a mentoring program as well as a performance and consequence management project.

Let the process be transparent enough for Nigerians to believe that the country’s football future is being placed ahead of individual interests.

The decision before you is bigger than the career or reputation of any one individual. It concerns the future of millions of young Nigerians who see football as a pathway to opportunity; the players who wear the national colours with pride; coaches, clubs, academies, referees and administrators; and countless Nigerians whose livelihoods and aspirations are connected to the sport. It also concerns Nigeria’s reputation as one of Africa’s great football nations. Sir, Nigeria deserves leadership capable of turning its football potential into measurable results.

We should not be afraid of fresh ideas, new faces and independent thinking. We should not confuse familiarity with competence or past experience with suitability for a new assignment. The time has come to build forward, not look backward. Nigeria deserves better. Nigerian football deserves a genuine fresh start.

Aderonke is Wole Soyinka Investigative Journalism Award Laureate, 2014 (Sports Category); Finalist, CNN African Journalist Award, 2016 (Sports Category).