After thoroughly reading the well-written piece by my good old friend and former colleague, Mr. Richard Jideaka, a veteran journalist and former Secretary-General of SWAN, I could not help but reflect on the role we, as sports journalists who are often regarded as the mirror of society, play in reflecting the true image of the society we are expected to guide, inform and educate.
Jideaka and I worked together for several years during our days at The Triumph Publishing Company in Kano. That period remains memorable in my professional journey. Working alongside him gave me the opportunity to know him not only as a colleague, but also as a dedicated journalist with a strong understanding of the profession and a deep interest in sports journalism.
That is why I must admit that I was surprised to see Mr. Jideaka openly drumming support for a man whose failures as NFF President, in my considered view, far outweigh his achievements.
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As a respected and experienced sports journalist, Jideaka is fully entitled to his opinion and to support whoever he believes deserves another opportunity. However, such support should be weighed against the realities of the administration’s performance, the state of Nigerian football under its leadership and the expectations that came with the office.
For me, the issue is not about personalities or personal loyalty. It is about accountability, performance and results.
The NFF presidency is too important to be judged merely by a few successes while the administration’s numerous shortcomings are overlooked. Nigerians deserve a leadership record that can withstand objective scrutiny, not one sustained largely by arguments in its favour.
That is why I find Jideaka’s position difficult to reconcile with the overwhelming realities and evidence of the past four years under Ibrahim Gusau’s leadership as NFF President.
If we are truly committed to the progress of Nigerian football, we must be prepared to acknowledge both the failures and the achievements of his administration. In this case, however, I believe the failures have been far too significant to be overshadowed by the few successes, if any, recorded during the period.
I respect Jideaka’s right to express his opinion and the professional reasoning behind his position. Our long years of working together at The Triumph, under the then Group Sports Editor, Sani Muhammad Zaria, taught me that healthy disagreement among journalists should never diminish mutual respect, professional camaraderie or friendship.
My own evaluation of the situation has led me to a different conclusion. However, his write-up on Gusau has once again raised an important question about the responsibility of the media and journalists to society.
If we are truly the mirror of society, then we must constantly ask ourselves whether the image we reflect is one that informs, educates and guides the public, or one that merely reinforces the divisions and sentiments that already exist within society.
After thoroughly going through his article, titled “Appraisal of Ibrahim Gusau’s First Term in Office and Why He Should Get a Second Term,” I was left wondering whether we truly want Nigerian football to develop and progress to the level of other footballing nations.
As sports journalists and analysts, we know that Nigerian football faces serious challenges under Gusau and his team, judging by the way the game has been managed in recent years.
As members of the sports media, we have a responsibility to objectively assess the state of the game and present the public with a fair, balanced and honest picture.
Our role is to provide the facts and analysis that enable Nigerians to make informed judgments about those entrusted with the leadership of football. Our duty should not be to defend individuals, promote personalities or advance particular interests.
Rather, we should critically examine their performances, acknowledge genuine achievements, expose shortcomings and ask the difficult questions when necessary.
Where there is progress, we should say so. Where there are failures, we must equally have the courage to point them out. To me, that is how sports journalism can contribute meaningfully to the development of Nigerian football.
We owe the game, and indeed the millions of Nigerians who care deeply about it, nothing less than honest, independent and constructive analysis.
What I read in my former colleague’s well-written piece, however, left me wondering whether he was truly the author of the article, because I know he understands the challenges, shortcomings and ills surrounding the NFF perhaps even better than I do.
He is based in Abuja, where the NFF headquarters is situated, and has firsthand knowledge of, or access to information about, how football is being managed under Gusau and his team.
Given his experience and knowledge of the game, I had expected a more critical, balanced and objective assessment of the NFF’s leadership and its performance under Ibrahim Gusau.
In my view, Gusau and his team have seriously mishandled several aspects of the NFF, and this largely explains what I consider to be his failure as NFF President.
This is precisely why those of us who analyse and report on the game must remain objective and judge leadership based on verifiable achievements rather than personal loyalty or sentiment.
Jideaka has already enumerated several issues, and I do not intend to repeat them. Instead, I would rather present my own assessment of Gusau’s first tenure in office.
Even though the electoral process appears to have been structured in Gusau’s favour, largely because of the bloc votes from his constituency, comprising the 36 State FA Chairmen and the FCT, which already appear aligned to facilitate his return, we must still put the record straight and call a spade a spade.
For many of us, Ibrahim Musa Gusau’s tenure has been a major disappointment, with very little to show for the confidence Nigerians and the football community placed in his leadership.
The Super Eagles’ failure to qualify for the FIFA World Cup in two consecutive editions, 2022 and 2026, stands out as one of the major shortcomings of his tenure and, in my view, should be enough to raise serious questions about his suitability for another term.
Jideaka, however, wants us to understand that the success of an NFF President should not be measured solely by trophies won or successful qualification campaigns. According to him, the responsibilities of the NFF President extend far beyond what happens on the pitch.
This is where I respectfully disagree with him.
I agree that the performance of an NFF President should not be judged only by trophies and results on the field. Football administration is much broader than that.
However, if we are going to look beyond trophies and qualification campaigns, then we must also examine the wider responsibilities of the office and assess how effectively those responsibilities have been discharged. That is precisely where I believe Gusau’s administration leaves much to be desired.
For the ordinary Nigerian football fan, victories, trophies and qualification for major international competitions remain among the most visible measures of success.
Fans invest their emotions, time and resources in supporting the Super Eagles because they want to see the team succeed, qualify for major tournaments and compete at the highest level of international football.
For the average fan, the best sports administrator is not necessarily the one with the most impressive reports or files on his desk. They want a leader whose administration produces tangible results on the pitch.
They want to see a competitive national team, successful qualification campaigns, trophies and a football system that gives them reasons to believe in the future.
Ultimately, football is played on the pitch, and that is where the impact of administration is eventually tested.
Even in areas such as grassroots development, infrastructure, coaching programmes and other institutional initiatives mentioned by Jideaka, I am yet to see significant achievements that can be clearly demonstrated to outweigh the poor performances of our national teams.
Another major shortcoming of Gusau’s leadership is the failure of the Super Eagles to win the Africa Cup of Nations, while Nigeria has also failed to secure the CHAN title. On some occasions, the country has even failed to qualify for CHAN competitions.
We must also not forget the Super Falcons’ elimination from the African playoff for the 2027 World Cup by South Africa’s Banyana Banyana in Morocco last Thursday.
Nor should we overlook the recurring disappointments involving Nigerian clubs representing the country in the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup.
Their inconsistent performances and early exits continue to raise serious questions about the competitiveness of our domestic clubs and the effectiveness of the structures put in place to support them.
We should also ask why the Nigerian league is still not regularly televised nationally, let alone attracting international television coverage, while countries such as South Africa, Tanzania and Kenya have made significant progress in showcasing their domestic leagues.
These are not issues that should be dismissed or overshadowed by claims of administrative achievements.
At the end of the day, the strength of our football administration should be reflected in the performance of our national teams and clubs on the continental stage.
The success of the Super Eagles, other national teams and Nigerian clubs competing in CAF competitions remains one of the most visible measures of the effectiveness of any NFF administration.
When the Super Eagles repeatedly fail to qualify for the FIFA World Cup, it is only natural for supporters to question the leadership, direction and effectiveness of the federation.
No write-up, no matter how well argued, can completely erase the disappointment and frustration caused by consecutive World Cup failures under Gusau’s administration. These failures have had a direct impact on the confidence and morale of millions of Nigerian football fans.
We must also understand that football is ultimately judged by results. While administration, infrastructure and other institutional matters are important, they cannot be used to completely excuse poor performances and repeated failures by our national teams.
That is where the NFF leadership must be prepared to answer to the fans.
The last four years have, for many Nigerians, been years of disappointment, missed opportunities and unfulfilled expectations. The question now is whether Gusau’s record provides enough evidence to convince Nigerians that another four years under his leadership will produce a different outcome.
Another important issue that must not be overlooked is the management of FIFA and CAF development grants received by the NFF.
For years, there have been concerns about the whereabouts and utilisation of these funds, with many stakeholders and football followers demanding greater transparency from the federation.
In fact, the House of Representatives resolved in October 2025 to investigate the alleged mismanagement of more than $25 million in development grants reportedly received by the NFF from FIFA and CAF between 2015 and 2025.
The lawmakers expressed concern that there was little or no tangible development to justify such a substantial inflow of funds and mandated the House Committee on Sports to investigate the matter.
This is a serious issue that cannot simply be brushed aside when assessing the performance of the present and past NFF leadership.
If such enormous resources were received for football development, the public deserves to know exactly how the money was received, where it was spent, what projects were executed and what measurable impact those investments have had on Nigerian football.
The issue becomes even more important because the development of football requires substantial investment in grassroots programmes, infrastructure, coaching, youth development and other areas.
Yet, despite the huge financial support reportedly coming from FIFA and CAF, serious deficiencies remain in many of these areas.
Therefore, before anyone asks Nigerians to judge Gusau’s tenure by achievements beyond trophies and qualification campaigns, I believe financial accountability must also form an important part of that assessment.
I have never seen the NFF publicly release or publish its financial records for a single year. So, where is the transparency they keep talking about?
On referee reforms, I am yet to see meaningful reforms that have translated into consistently improved officiating across our domestic leagues. I also want to know why our referees continue to be sidelined from major CAF and FIFA competitions.
Instead, we continue to witness persistent concerns about the quality and credibility of officiating, including allegations of officials favouring certain teams.
Such allegations, whether proven or not, are damaging to the credibility of the league and demand serious institutional attention.
To me, the only significant effort that can reasonably be credited to the current NFF administration is its attempt to align the domestic league calendar with the football calendar used in other parts of the world.
While this may be a step in the right direction, I do not believe it is enough to justify claims of major progress in the administration of Nigerian football.
A well-structured league calendar must be accompanied by tangible improvements in league organisation, club administration, infrastructure, player development, coaching programmes, officiating, financial transparency and the overall standard of domestic football.
Yes, the NFF President does not personally select players, determine tactics or coach the national teams, as those responsibilities rest with the respective technical crews.
However, the critical question is: who appoints these technical crews and provides the enabling environment for them to operate effectively?
That responsibility ultimately falls within the leadership of the NFF. Gusau’s administration made those appointments and established the framework within which the technical teams were expected to work.
The leadership that appoints, supervises and provides the necessary support to technical crews must also accept responsibility when the system consistently fails to deliver the desired results.
As Jideaka rightly stated, no administration is without its shortcomings. But in my view, the shortcomings under Gusau have been enormous and difficult to overlook.
This explains why Nigerian football continues to grapple with persistent challenges, particularly in attracting and sustaining sponsorship, improving the competitiveness of the domestic league, strengthening club administration and ensuring consistent performances by the national teams.
To many of us, Ibrahim Gusau’s first term can best be described as a period of serious underperformance, characterised by a leadership that, in our view, appeared more focused on consolidating power than delivering meaningful and lasting reforms.
In my assessment, this imbalance between the pursuit of power and the implementation of meaningful reforms has contributed significantly to the challenges Nigerian football faces today.
It is against this background that, unlike my friend Richard Jideaka, I strongly believe that it is not only Ibrahim Musa Gusau but the entire NFF Board that does not deserve a second term.
To many of us, their leadership has not demonstrated enough concrete achievements to justify another mandate. That is why I believe they should step aside and give genuine, experienced sports administrators the opportunity to take charge, introduce meaningful reforms and lead Nigerian football towards sustainable development and progress.
For me, leadership should not be judged by friendship, promises, pronouncements or political alignments. It should ultimately be measured by concrete achievements, meaningful reforms, accountability and measurable impact.
Nigerian football deserves leadership that can move beyond managing the status quo and provide a clear, credible and sustainable vision for the future of the game.
That, in my view, is the standard by which the NFF leadership should be judged, not by who supports or defends it, but by what it has actually achieved for Nigerian football.
