Eagles legend Odegbami knocks NFF electoral process

Former Super Eagles captain Segun Odegbami has urged a temporary suspension of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) elections, asserting that the country's football administration has failed to keep pace with its abundant talent and potential. The call comes ahead of the NFF's Executive Committee elections scheduled for September 27 in Lafia, Nasarawa State.

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The reality is that football administration in the past two decades, in particular, has not matched or complemented the level of talent and possible achievements.

Odegbami contends that persistent issues within football administration, particularly over the past two decades, have become deeply entrenched. He stated, "The reality is that football administration in the past two decades, in particular, has not matched or complemented the level of talent and possible achievements." He believes that faulty decisions, often made out of ignorance rather than malice since the early 1990s, have undermined Nigerian football's growth. These decisions have evolved into a system that is now difficult to reform, especially as those who benefited from it remain involved in the administration.

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The growth of our football industry has been stunted by faulty decisions taken more in ignorance than by any malicious intentions since the early part of the 1990s. These have grown, sustained and become the norm in our football, a monster that now needs the creators of it to rid it of its venom. They won’t do it because they are also the beneficiaries of the faulty architecture.

"The growth of our football industry has been stunted by faulty decisions taken more in ignorance than by any malicious intentions since the early part of the 1990s," Odegbami explained. "These have grown, sustained and become the norm in our football, a monster that now needs the creators of it to rid it of its venom. They won’t do it because they are also the beneficiaries of the faulty architecture."

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Elections into the board of the NFF have become a four-yearly ritual of crisis.

Furthermore, Odegbami criticized the NFF election process itself, labeling it a "four-yearly ritual of crisis." He argued that these administrative shortcomings have prevented Nigerian football from becoming a significant economic driver and youth development engine. This, he said, deprives young people of opportunities and hinders the nation's economic potential. Odegbami reiterated his plea for a pause in the electoral process, hoping for a period of reassessment and reform to allow Nigerian football to regain its footing.

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I hope all Nigerians, including the members of the Nigerian Football Association, will understand why these elections should be temporarily halted for Nigerian football to find its feet again.