Former Nigeria international Garba Lawal has called on Nigerians to exercise patience and allow the newly inaugurated NFF fact-finding committee to complete its assignment before reaching conclusions about the causes of the country’s recent football failures.
The committee, chaired by former Nigeria international Ambassador Fanny Amun, was established by the Nigeria Football Federation to investigate the recurring setbacks involving the country’s national teams and recommend ways of addressing them.
Lawal believes the committee deserves a fair hearing and should be allowed to conduct its investigation without pressure or premature judgment.
“Let the committee do its job. They deserve a fair hearing before conclusions are reached.”
The former Super Eagles player said the scale of the problems confronting Nigerian football makes a detailed investigation necessary, particularly after a series of disappointing results across the national teams.
The Super Eagles failed to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, while the Super Falcons missed the 2027 Women’s World Cup for the first time in their history.
Nigeria’s youth teams have also experienced setbacks, including the Flying Eagles’ heavy defeat to Burkina Faso in the WAFU-B U-20 final.
Lawal’s call comes amid a wider debate over whether another fact-finding committee can produce meaningful change.
Some former internationals have criticised the NFF’s decision, arguing that previous investigations have not resulted in sufficient reforms, while others believe an independent assessment could help identify problems that require urgent attention.
Lawal, however, believes criticism should come after the committee has completed its work.
The committee is expected to examine issues surrounding the national teams, including preparation, technical management, player selection and other factors contributing to Nigeria’s recent struggles.
The former international has also called for the investigation to go beyond simply identifying individuals responsible for failures and instead establish the structural issues that need to be addressed.
For Lawal, the immediate priority is to allow the Fanny Amun-led committee to complete its investigation, after which Nigerians can properly assess its findings and recommendations.
