Former Super Eagles captain John Obi Mikel has joined the criticism against the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) board, stating that new leadership is required to restore Nigerian football to its former glory.
Mikel made the remarks after the Ibrahim Gusau led NFF failed to qualify some of the nation’s teams for the recently concluded World Cup tournament.
In the podcast picked up by the News Chronicle, the player stated that the country cannot keep missing out on the prestigious event and urged stakeholders to take bold steps by asking for new people to handle the matters of the federation.
The News Chronicle reports that there has been a lot of pressure on the NFF board in the wake of the Super Falcons missing out on the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
“We want changes in the Nigeria Football Federation because we want to grow our football,” Mikel said, stressing the need to put the right people in charge.
Meanwhile, reports that the Federal Government has asked the NFF board to resign have continued to generate controversy. Some board members reportedly rejected the move when they were summoned to the Presidency.
An official of the National Sports Commission said the government’s position was aimed at restructuring Nigerian football rather than targeting individuals.
The official added that if the board leaves, the NFF secretariat could temporarily oversee the federation while a new administrative structure is developed.
