"95% of Football Administrators Bought Their Way In For Political Gain, Backs Calls for NFF Board Resignation"
The Vice Chairman of the Traders Union Congress, TUC, Kwara Chapter and former professional footballer, Comrade Ganiyu Balogun, popularly known as "Oscar," has called for a total overhaul of football administration in Nigeria, describing most current leaders as "political opportunists" running the game for personal gain.
Speaking to journalists on Thursday, August 27, 2026, shortly after the book launch of Kwara United FC at the Kwara State Sports Commission Conference Room in Ilorin, Oscar launched a scathing attack on what he termed the infiltration of "political football managers" into the system.
He described most of the current football administrators as novices with no playing background, no technical knowledge, and no genuine interest in developing the sport.
According to him, over 90 percent of those in office found their way in through godfathers or by buying their way into the system.
"They are opportunists who see football only as an avenue to enrich their pockets, not to grow the game. They have no business managing football affairs in Nigeria," he said.
The former player accused many State FA Chairmen of abandoning their core mandate of grassroots development to chase money through player and club management.
"It is a complete departure from the job of an FA Chairman to abandon grassroots football development to go and manage players or a club," he stated.
He further alleged that some of them cannot point to a single project they have influenced to improve football facilities in their states, despite huge funds received from FIFA through the NFF.
Oscar linked the stagnation of Nigerian football directly to leadership that lacks both experience and vision.
"Most of them never played the game. How then can they know how to improve or manage football affairs? It is time to tell ourselves the truth. Unless these administrators are flushed out, Nigerian football will remain stagnant and will not progress," he added.
He issued a direct challenge to former players, both at home and in the diaspora, to take back control of the sport.
"Ex-footballers must stand up to their responsibility and chase these people away before they completely destroy what players suffered and laboured for over the years due to selfish interests," he said.
The TUC leader also threw his weight behind recent calls in Abuja for the resignation of the NFF President and board members.
"I strongly support what happened in Abuja regarding the NFF President and board members' resignation. I believe that in the next few days, some at the state level will also join them. Stakeholders are tired of seeing faces that are taking the game backwards," he declared.
Oscar called on all football stakeholders and lovers of the game to unite and restructure Nigerian football from the foundation.
"We must begin sending them packing, one after the other. Nigerian football deserves leadership that understands the game, not caretakers looking for juice," he concluded.
His remarks add to the growing pressure from stakeholders for reforms within the Nigeria Football Federation and State FAs ahead of the next round of elections.
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