A few years ago, in Sao Paulo, an artisan was in my apartment to fix a broken shower. He could tell that I am not Brazilian and asked where I am from. I’ll never forget the look of elation on his face when I told him I am Nigerian. He gleefully exclaimed J. J Okocha! and proceeded to express the unrivaled joy he felt watching Okocha and other talented, skillful Nigerian footballers play.

I grew up in the 1990s in Nigeria with Ibrahim Babangida and Sani Abacha as Heads of state at different points and as you may imagine those were brutally difficult times. I was (and I am still) lucky to have truly loving parents, and read tons of nice books, but the 1990s was an otherwise grim period for most of us.

Nigeria however, used to have a rich football tradition that was a source of delight for an otherwise miserable population. Our Country was a dominant force in African football, winning the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in 1980 and 1994, but also in 2013. The Nigerian national football team, known as the Super Eagles, achieved significant success on the international stage, having qualified for the World Cup severally and even reached the Round of 16 on multiple occasions.  Football, which was deeply ingrained in Nigerian culture, was arguably the most popular sport at the time. I have never been a football fan, but I have vivid memories of football victory days that gave many of us something to be passionate and jubilant about.

Yet that joy which possibly helped many Nigerians cope, has also been snatched away from us.

For a long while after my encounter with the Brazilian in my apartment, I wondered what exactly went wrong and how all that football relevance vanished (or at least diminished significantly). Recently, I started to research this idea in my spare time, and the more I read about it, the more preoccupied with it I became. I have since read about corruption allegations, mismanagement, lukewarm investment in infrastructure, and overall poor administration by local and national football authorities. Indeed, there is a lot of corruption in the world, but apparently, nothing is sacrosanct to us where we say oh you know what, I just shouldn’t mismanage this. I’d get to this in a separate article in future, but I have read with utter dismay, about gross mismanagement of football infrastructure, including training facilities, stadiums, and grassroots development programs. At some point, I became furious wondering just how the individuals who were meant to be custodians of such delicate resources did not think of the potential implications that their flagrant disregard for ethics could have for not only maintaining a competitive edge, but nurturing talent.

The lost football glory may have broad, far-reaching implications for society and culture, which makes it imperative to explore opportunities for restoration. Many talented, internationally renowned football players emerged from Nigeria. Rashidi Yekini (who I think Nigeria could have treated a lot better), Jay-Jay Okocha (the artisan in my apartment in Sao Paulo is a huge fan), Kanu Nwankwo, and Sunday Oliseh are notable examples.  As is the case in many other parts of the world, football stars often serve as role models for fans including young individuals, in many cases, influencing them positively. There are compelling stories of how some football stars through dedication and hard work achieved success. Such success stories can motivate others to work hard, pursue their dreams and purposefully navigate life’s challenges. The absence of such inspiration especially in a poor, -we could call it doomed country- can have consequences too. For example, these days, there is practically nothing to be enthusiastic about. Is it possible that this sour state of affairs contributes to why many young men and women are turning to drugs and other vices? It’s worth thinking about.

Dwindling football glory translates directly to a loss of other opportunities too. Many football stars leverage their fame and platform to advocate for social causes such as environmental issues, human rights, poverty alleviation, education, and health. Kanu Nwankwo, who himself had experienced a serious heart condition at some point, established a charitable organization: KHF dedicated to providing heart surgeries for underprivileged children with heart conditions in Nigeria. He has the resources and the inclination and has since contributed immensely to society. Influential figures can raise awareness about, and support many meaningful causes, and so, to my mind, it is important to not squander or misappropriate resources meant to support football talent. Also, the influence of football stars tends to extend to various industries or sects through commercial partnerships, sponsorships and endorsements including fashion, advertising, entertainment, and so on, contributing to economic growth and development.

The relevance of football to society transcends its status as a sport, in many cases impacting various aspects of society. It is obviously an important source of entertainment and recreation, but in our case, it played crucial roles in our cultural identity, fostered a sense of pride, promoted social interaction, and one could even argue that it contributed to social integration, fostering friendships and a sense of belonging in many communities. International football stars may also have contributed to representing the Nigerian culture on a global stage. 

What can be done to revive that football glory and relevance? My research on this did not afford me any meaningful insights probably because I was too annoyed to constructively process Nigerian-football related information. I have however spoken with many football fans, and I should clarify that the ideas and suggestions, I proffer here are not original.

One clear point emerges from my discussions with most people: it is vital to nurture young talent, but that requires robust youth development programs, academies and grassroot initiatives. Do we have what it takes to develop and manage that? This next point resonates with even me, a complete novice when it comes to football: a strong foundation is required for the national teams. What should be done in that case? Please send me suggestions and comments, and I’d publish them in a separate article. A thriving domestic league can offer a platform to showcase talent and it is thus important to revitalize domestic leagues to enhance competition standards and player exposure. Seasoned coaches can refine players’ skills, tactical understanding and overall, offer a competitive edge and I therefore, think there has to be some way to assure a pool of qualified, well-trained coaches. Can we objectively say that we have at any point(s) had seasoned coaches? And how can we breed good coaches?   Evidently, it is vital to build and maintain infrastructure, and broad, sweeping, meaningful reforms in football administration are necessary (this goes without saying!). I must ask though, how can we ensure, or shall I even say enforce transparent effective administration in football governing bodies? Where should the money for football development initiatives come from? I raise this because some of the ardent football fans I have spoken to say ‘oh allocate adequate funding, secure sponsorships, and develop supportive policies’ – and I realise I previously highlighted some of the potential socio-economic benefits of a thriving national football element, but where should the resources come from?Please write to me with specific ideas on that. Are football icons serving as suitable role models for prospective young players? Do they have the responsibility to? And should there be programs or attempts to foster or provide mentorship programs for young players? And last, but by no means the least, is promotion of women’s football potentially relevant?