Former member of the Nigerian Football Federation’s Technical Committee, Austel Elumelu, has issued a stern warning to football authorities, insisting that Nigeria’s latest World Cup disaster is a direct consequence of the “deep rot” that has been ignored for years.
Reacting to the Super Eagles’ defeat to DR Congo in Sunday’s CAF playoff final, Elumelu said the embarrassment of missing back-to-back World Cups should serve as a national wake-up call.
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According to him, this failure was not accidental — it was the outcome of long-term negligence, poor leadership, and a refusal to address foundational problems within Nigerian football.
Elumelu lamented that the people currently making decisions at the NFF are often individuals who lack genuine football competence or long-term vision.
He said the federation has been repeatedly handed over to administrators who prioritise politics over performance, and Nigeria is now paying the price on the world stage.
The former technical official stressed that until the NFF begins to select leaders based on competence, football intelligence, and a proven track record, the Super Eagles will continue to struggle — regardless of how talented the squad may be.
He added that the World Cup is the sport’s biggest platform for national pride, global exposure, and player development, making Nigeria’s repeated absence even more painful. The fact that smaller nations with limited resources continue to qualify while Nigeria stagnates, he said, is a clear sign that the leadership structure is fundamentally flawed.
Elumelu called for an immediate review of Nigeria’s football framework — from youth systems to coaching, planning, and accountability — emphasising that cosmetic changes or short-term solutions will no longer work.
He concluded with a blunt message to the federation:
“If we do not fix who runs our football, we will keep failing. Nigeria has suffered enough embarrassment. The time to act is now.”
