Former Nigerian Players Can Run The NFF, But Leadership Must Come With Accountability — Part Two

𝐁𝐲 𝐏𝐚𝐮𝐥 𝐋𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐲 𝐎𝐤𝐨𝐤𝐮

𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓 𝟐 𝐎𝐅 𝟐

𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐔𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓 𝟏

Systems provide structure.

𝐏𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤.

Having examined accountability, budgeting, audit readiness and departmental coordination in Part 1, this concluding installment turns to the people inside the system — how leadership manages conflict, sets employees up for success, recognizes performance, uses experience wisely and builds an institution that can outlive any one administration.

𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐅𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐓 𝐌𝐔𝐒𝐓 𝐁𝐄 𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐀𝐆𝐄𝐃

Professionals will disagree.

Finance may reject an undocumented request. Technical may see an urgent football need. Legal may identify contractual risk.

𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐝, 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐩𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝.

People should be able to raise legitimate concerns respectfully when they believe a decision conflicts with policy, ethics or the federation’s objectives.

Resolve conflict at the lowest appropriate level: establish the facts, listen, agree on the next action and document important decisions.

If necessary, escalate.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐩𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭.

𝐒𝐄𝐓 𝐏𝐄𝐎𝐏𝐋𝐄 𝐔𝐏 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐒𝐔𝐂𝐂𝐄𝐒𝐒

Accountability should not begin by waiting for someone to fail.

𝐒𝐞𝐭 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐮𝐩 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬.

Give them clear expectations, adequate resources, appropriate authority and regular feedback.

A department head should know what is expected, what success looks like and when the work is due.

If someone underperforms, the first objective should be improvement, not termination.

Counsel the employee. Document the problem. Set expectations. Follow up. Where necessary, use a 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧 (𝐏𝐈𝐏) with measurable goals.

If performance still does not improve after a fair opportunity, management must act.

But accountability cannot be the only language employees hear.

𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭.

And when people deliver, let them know their work is seen.

Praise reinforces strong performance and positive behavior. Recognition may come through verbal praise, formal acknowledgment, awards, professional opportunities, a gift or monetary recognition where policy permits.

Recognition does more than reward one individual. It tells the organization what good performance looks like and encourages others to reach that standard.

𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜. 𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐝𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐢𝐧 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐞.

Competition periods can demand extraordinary hours. Employees who carry those workloads should be recognized.

𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭.

𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫.

𝐒𝐎𝐌𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐒𝐄 𝐃𝐈𝐒𝐂𝐈𝐏𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐒 𝐁𝐄𝐆𝐈𝐍 𝐎𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐅𝐈𝐄𝐋𝐃

Playing football alone does not qualify anyone to run the NFF.

𝐄𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐣𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 and 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 still matter.

But former players already understand some of these disciplines.

A player operates inside a structure. The coach establishes standards, assigns responsibilities, evaluates performance and makes difficult decisions.

Players learn punctuality.

They learn accountability.

They learn teamwork.

They learn dependency.

They learn conflict management.

If one player abandons his position, the entire team can suffer.

Those lessons do not replace professional management training.

But when combined with education and proven leadership experience, they provide a useful foundation.

𝐀𝐆𝐄 𝐈𝐒 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐉𝐎𝐁 𝐃𝐄𝐒𝐂𝐑𝐈𝐏𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍

Age is sometimes raised when former Nigerian players are discussed for leadership, particularly when a candidate is in his seventies.

That is fair to examine.

Ask about energy.

Ask about technology.

Ask about adaptability.

Ask about succession.

Ask whether the candidate can relate to and develop younger professionals.

But look at how the NFF actually operates.

The president is not expected to sit in Finance reconciling accounts. He is not booking airline tickets, processing visas, drafting every contract or running the Technical Department.

Those departments already have managers and professional staff doing the specialized work — including younger professionals who bring their own knowledge, skills and perspectives.

The president works through them.

He receives briefings. He asks questions. He establishes priorities. He removes obstacles. He challenges people when necessary. He develops people. He holds them accountable.

So if the argument is that Nigerian football needs younger minds, 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.

The real question is whether the person at the top knows how to listen to them, challenge them, develop them and bring their expertise together toward one objective.

Age can even become an asset when it comes with experience, judgment and perspective.

𝐀 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐣𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐚𝐠𝐞, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐛𝐲 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤, 𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐬, 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐲

He has to know how to get the best out of that employee.

𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐦. 𝐈𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐦.

Running the NFF is not a 90-minute physical contest.

The president is not being selected to outrun younger men.

𝐇𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦.

𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐏 𝐈𝐒 𝐁𝐔𝐈𝐋𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐀 𝐒𝐘𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐌 𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐎𝐔𝐓𝐋𝐈𝐕𝐄𝐒 𝐘𝐎𝐔

An NFF president does not need to be the federation’s best accountant, scheduler, lawyer, auditor or technical director.

The president must appoint competent people, respect professional boundaries, delegate authority, monitor performance, manage conflict, insist on documentation and act when standards are not met.

When one administration ends, the next should inherit reconciled accounts, documented obligations, functioning systems and institutional reserves where applicable — not unpaid bills and unanswered questions.

Not just memories.

Not just promises.

𝐀 𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐧𝐞.

𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐍 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐄𝐗𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐋𝐘 𝐈𝐒 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐎𝐁𝐉𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐓𝐎 𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐌𝐄𝐑 𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐘𝐄𝐑𝐒?

𝐋𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐝𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐥𝐞.

𝐈𝐧 𝟐𝟎𝟎𝟗, 𝐔𝐒$𝟐𝟑𝟔,𝟎𝟎𝟎 earmarked for Super Eagles World Cup qualifying activities was reported missing from the federation’s secretariat safe.

𝐈𝐧 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟎, 𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐢 𝐋𝐮𝐥𝐮 𝐀𝐛𝐝𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐡𝐢, 𝐀𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐳𝐞 𝐔𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐠𝐛𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐦, 𝐓𝐚𝐢𝐰𝐨 𝐎𝐠𝐮𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐛𝐢 and 𝐃𝐫. 𝐁𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐣𝐢 𝐎𝐣𝐨-𝐎𝐛𝐚 were arraigned over allegations involving more than 𝐍𝟏.𝟓 𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 in World Cup-related expenditure, including specific dollar-denominated allegations of 𝐔𝐒$𝟏𝟐𝟓,𝟎𝟎𝟎, 𝐔𝐒$𝟐𝟓𝟎,𝟎𝟎𝟎 and 𝐔𝐒$𝟒𝟎𝟎,𝟎𝟎𝟎. They were later discharged and acquitted.

𝐈𝐧 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟔, during the 𝐀𝐦𝐚𝐣𝐮 𝐏𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐤 administration, 𝐔𝐒$𝟖𝟎𝟐,𝟎𝟎𝟎 in FIFA development funds became the subject of documentation questions, with further development funding reportedly withheld.

More recently, under the 𝐈𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐆𝐮𝐬𝐚𝐮-led administration, a 𝐍𝟏𝟐 𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 Federal Government intervention fund for national-team obligations came under 𝐄𝐅𝐂𝐂 and 𝐈𝐂𝐏𝐂 investigation.

Coaches and former national-team personnel have also continued to raise claims over salaries, bonuses and allowances years after the work was done.

𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐞𝐱𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐬.

Yet former Nigerian internationals are repeatedly told:

“𝐁𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐅𝐅.”

𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐞.

Playing football alone does not qualify anyone.

But here is the question that should follow:

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐝?

It has not guaranteed financial discipline.

It has not guaranteed transparency.

It has not guaranteed that coaches and players will be paid on time.

It has not guaranteed institutional accountability.

So why should a distinguished football career become an argument against a candidate who also possesses education, management experience, integrity and a proven leadership record?

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲.

𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐝𝐨𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐞𝐧𝐝.

We are not saying every former international should run the NFF.

Some should not.

If competence is the standard, apply it to everybody.

𝐅𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐲 𝐮𝐬. 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐢𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐲 𝐮𝐬 𝐞𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫.

𝐆𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐔𝐒 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐎𝐏𝐏𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐔𝐍𝐈𝐓𝐘 — 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐍 𝐇𝐎𝐋𝐃 𝐔𝐒 𝐀𝐂𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐓𝐀𝐁𝐋𝐄

Qualified former Nigerian players are not asking for the federation because we wore the green-and-white shirt.

We are asking for a fair opportunity to compete on 𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞, 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 and 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲.

If a former footballer cannot satisfy those requirements, do not give him the job.

But when one has educated himself, developed professionally, managed people and built a credible leadership record, do not move the goalposts because his first profession was football.

We have now laid out the management process.

The departments already exist.

Experienced staff are already in place.

Responsibilities can be delegated.

Performance can be measured.

Finances can be tracked.

Conflict can be managed.

Accountability can be enforced.

So perhaps the question should now be asked differently:

𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 — 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞, 𝐚 𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 — 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐅𝐅 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐟𝐟 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞?

The process described in this article is there for the reader to examine.

Do not judge us only by the profession we started with.

Judge us by what we have learned, what we have managed, what we have built and what we are prepared to be accountable for.

𝐆𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐮𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲.

Then judge us by the same standards:

𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲.

𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲.

𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲.

𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐬.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐲.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲.

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐰𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠.