Former President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Melvin Pinnick, has called for a complete reorientation of Nigerians and football stakeholders, insisting that true progress in the sport will remain impossible without a collective change of mindset.
Speaking on Monday at the Big Sports Dialogue 1.0, Pinnick, who led the NFF from 2014 to 2022, warned that deep-rooted bitterness, personal rivalries, and political vendettas have long undermined the development of football in the country.
Pinnick did not mince words as he addressed what he described as a toxic culture that has consistently prioritised personal interest over national goals.
“We must have orientation and reorientation among Nigerians and critical stakeholders. It is very important,” he said.
“People are quick to call others corrupt. It is not like that. Before football, we exist, and after football, we will exist.”
He argued that Nigerian football can only thrive when unity and sincerity replace the factionalism that has plagued the system for decades.
“Some people prayed for Nigeria not to qualify”
Amaju Pinnick also accused certain individuals of hoping for the Super Eagles’ failure during qualification campaigns just to sabotage the current NFF administration led by Ibrahim Gusau.
“I can tell you today, some people were praying for Nigeria not to qualify because they want Ibrahim Gusau out of the NFF.”
“That is the truth. That is how bad it is.”
He described such mindsets as fundamentally detrimental to national progress, warning that football cannot grow when success is viewed suspiciously or used as a political weapon.
Why Pinnick Rejected Pressure to Run for a Third Term
The former CAF Vice President also revealed that he deliberately walked away from a potential third term as NFF president despite pressure from several quarters urging him to continue.
“If I wanted to continue as president of the NFF, everybody wanted it, but I said no.”
According to him, the environment had become “unbearably chaotic” and deliberately hostile, with calculated attempts to damage his reputation.
Leadership Reduced to Tribal and Personal Wars
Pinnick lamented that leadership within Nigerian football has been reduced to emotional attachments, tribal politics, and personal fiefdoms.
“That reorientation must be objective. It must not be about, ‘Oh, if it is not Christopher Green, it must not be anyone else.’”
He criticized stakeholders who insist on having “their own person” in power rather than allowing merit and competence to drive leadership choices.
Pinnick concluded by stating that Nigerian football can only move forward when stakeholders prioritize the collective good above personal ambition or political rivalry.
He noted an attitude he says must end immediately. He said that within local football circles, genuine success is sometimes perceived as a weakness, while failure is weaponized for personal battles.
