I thank all those that sent me goodwill messages, and for understanding why I had to be missing on these pages for a while. The good news is that – I am back, re-energised and ready to soar again.
My return coincided with the frenzy of the World Cup qualifying football matches across Africa.
The match between the Super Eagles and Bafana Bafana dominated sports conversations. Nigerians were feeding themselves with expectations based on unrealistic hope, even though they knew that the reality painted a totally different picture.
Which Nigerian does not know that the Super Eagles were overhyped and over pampered? They had not been impressive and convincing in their performances for well over a decade whilst changing coaches like baby Diapers, and massaging the egos of players that could not reciprocate with great performances on the field.
The country was so starved of success that when the Super Eagles managed to get to the finals of the African Cup of Nations in January of 2024, and lost, the country had an orgasm, celebrating and rewarding the team as if they had won the World Cup
Since then, the country had paid for this seeming profligacy, its football remaining stagnant, not rising above that plateau, and struggling to justify a celebration that may now be considered premature
Since then, the Eagles have become like Guinea Fowls flying only in short stops and starts, from one match to another, at home and away, putting up average performances, and making Nigerians to feast on prayers for a simple victory.
This is the Giant of African football at a time, in a quest for a World Cup ticket with a new format that offers the largest number of teams to qualify from Africa, with Nigeria in the easiest Group!
Back from my vacation a few days ago, I chose not to go to Bloemfontein for the World Cup match against South Africa. I felt it was going to require a miracle to come out unscathed from that battle. So, I joined football fans at the Eagle7 Bamboo Garden in my little village, Wasimi, willing the Eagles to pull off a miracle and defeat the South Africans.
They ran endlessly and fought well throughout the 90 minutes. Although they created very few chances, they were unfortunate to concede an own-goal early in the match.
At the end, Nigeria did not deserve a victory and the scoreline (1-1) was reflective of the performances by both teams in match played on a very bad turf as part of the strategy of the South Africans.
The match ended the way it did, and Nigeria’s chances of still qualifying for WC 2026 have become even more difficult – easier than for an elephant to pass through the eye of a needle’.
A handful of unrepentant optimists are still singing the hopeful song, and using computers to calculate Nigeria’s slim chances of qualifying.
Most Nigerians, deep down, have given up hope and are already baying for the blood of those they consider responsible for this unacceptable state of affairs.
True, there are two more matches to go, but it would be foolhardy to expect that fate that already been sealed will be altered when the conditions around the team have not changed.
What must happen now is a forensic audit of Nigerian football. The question of who will conduct this necessary task will now become the poser that must be answered truthfully.
The buttons of football administration in Nigeria must be reset because that’s where everything in football development is anchored to
The country cannot continue to tread the same barren path and hope to end up in a forest of luxuriant trees.
For as long as the reins of power remain in the hands of the same people that are in charge and their acquiescence is needed for any change to happen, there is no hope for change.
There must be a deliberate tumultuous revolution set off under the supervision of an independent arbiter to return Nigerian football to the track of progress and genuine development
So, whilst waiting to see what happens with the last series of matches in the Group, there are a few spots of light bursting through the dark clouds of Nigerian football.
20-year-old debutant, Benjamin Frederick, played brilliantly and safely in the match against Rwanda. There was no justification to have kept him on the bench in the next match for an aging William Troost-Ekong. Now we know better. Benjamin is the revelation of the year for me.
There are a few others in the horizon, untainted by the ‘failure’ of the current generation, sprouting around the European football circuit.
There is David Odogu. I wrote about him about a year ago. He was 18 years old at the time and was an integral part of the winning German team at the last Under-17 World Championship. Three weeks ago, he was signed by Italian Giants, AC Milan. He is that good.
Nigeria has the opportunity to lure him to play for the Super Eagles.
His combination with Benjamin Frederick will be, in my estimation, the best pairing at the centre of any defence in Africa for the next decade.
I saw the video of a young Nigerian player in the Scottish or Irish league. I did not catch his name (but I will find out because I still have the clip).
He may be the creative genius the Super Eagles have lacked since the exit of Jay-Jay Okocha
Home based players cannot form the backbone of the new Super Eagles for obvious reasons. The domestic game is simply not good enough technically for now, despite all the hype, to discover, develop and deliver players ready to play at the level of the Super Eagles.
Finally, I refuse to be consumed by the current ‘disappointment’ by the Super Eagles.
In my humble understanding of how the Universe works, I will not curse the ‘darkness’. Diamond and Gold are not found on the streets but in ‘dark unfathomed caves’.
We must use the current ‘failure’ as a lesson for what to avoid in shaping a new path for Nigerian Football and for a new Super Eagles, going forward.
By Segun Odegbami, former NFF Board Member, former Super Eagles captain
