Okocha Calls for Fresh Ideas and New Structures in Nigeria Football

Former Super Eagles captain Austin “Jay Jay” Okocha has called for fresh ideas and a new structure to change the direction of Nigeria football. He said the proposed Normalisation Committee would struggle to deliver meaningful progress if it operates within the existing Nigeria Football Federation framework.

Okocha made the remarks on a Brila FM sports programme while discussing the future of football administration in the country. He argued that earlier efforts to reform the NFF had produced recommendations that were never implemented, leaving proposed changes without practical effect.

The former Bolton Wanderers midfielder said people invited to serve in football administration need the authority and support to carry out their plans. He added that it would be unreasonable to expect former internationals to offer themselves for service when the system could prevent them from working effectively.

Okocha also stressed the importance of building a committee around people with shared objectives. In his view, the country’s interest must come before personal motives, while members must be united enough to implement reforms and improve the value of Nigerian football.

He referred to his own experience in Delta State, where he took the chairmanship of the Delta Football Association. Okocha said he eventually stepped away after encountering the realities of the administration, concluding that continuing in those circumstances was not worthwhile.

Despite his criticism, Okocha said former internationals should not remain silent about the condition of the game. He said those who understand the obstacles facing football administration have a responsibility to contribute to efforts to fix them, even as the consequences of poor decisions continue to affect Nigeria’s teams.

Nigeria’s recent setbacks have increased the pressure for change. The Super Eagles have missed two successive World Cups, while the Super Falcons are set to miss the Women’s World Cup in Brazil next year for the first time since the tournament began in China in 1991. Okocha said the problems were solvable, calling for capable people to be given the opportunity to add value and insisting that all stakeholders have a role in rebuilding the game.