Retired Super Eagles midfielder and Nigerian football legend, John Obi Mikel, has publicly declared his interest in assuming leadership within the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), indicating that he would only accept such responsibility under a transparent, corruption-free administration. He warned that he would refuse any position in a system tainted by mismanagement or corrupt practices. Mikel stressed that his record of service to the country through multiple youth and senior national teams showed he was ready to contribute again, provided the necessary reforms are implemented.
Mikel’s announcement follows a string of events that have rekindled public outrage over what many view as deep-rooted institutional failures at the NFF, culminating in the national men’s football team, the Super Eagles, failing to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. For him, the failure was not only about results on the pitch but symptomatic of wider administrative rot. He argued that leading a federation under opaque conditions, where money meant for football development allegedly disappears, promised infrastructure fails to materialise, and where players’ welfare is reportedly neglected, is a path he will not tread.
In his own words, Mikel recalled his long-standing commitment: “One thing I have always done since my early days is fight for the country. I don’t know how many players have done that like I have, through the U17, U20, and the senior national team. He concluded by stating that after “many years of sacrifice”, he had never once “said no to my country.” He declared himself willing to contribute and made it clear that he “won’t have corruption tied to him”.
Mikel further pressed that for any meaningful reform to take place, the NFF must assemble “the right people”, people whose thoughts and direction align with a genuine interest in developing football. He emphasized that the environment returned to players must assure them of comfort, motivation, and professionalism so they can perform without distraction.
This is not Mikel’s first time condemning corruption and mismanagement within Nigerian football. In a recent interview on his broadcast platform, the “Obi One Podcast,” he had called for the entire NFF board to resign if the country failed to qualify for the World Cup. He described their tenure as marked by repeated failures, mismanagement, and unfulfilled promises, and lambasted what he termed a “cabal” mentality that places kickbacks ahead of progress and performance.
Mikel referred to several instances to highlight the alleged dysfunction: players hoodwinked with delayed or missing bonuses, inadequate infrastructure, and poor welfare and logistical arrangements. In one past revelation, he claimed that during Nigeria’s participation at the 2016 Olympic Games, the squad had to wait at the airport for a plane, and that he personally paid for their flight and hotel when the federation failed to make arrangements. He cited these as emblematic of a pattern of neglect and mismanagement in institutions meant to support national players.
Yet, the path ahead is uncertain. For Mikel’s ambition to materialize, two difficult challenges stand out. First is the entrenched nature of alleged corruption and mismanagement in the federation. Second is building consensus: ensuring that other stakeholders, former players, state associations, clubs, and fans align with the vision of systemic overhaul rather than return to patronage and self-interest.
Samuel Aina