Former Super Eagles player Abiodun Obafemi has questioned the usefulness of the Nigeria Football Federation’s newly constituted fact-finding committee, warning that another investigation may do little to solve problems he believes have been obvious for years.
The former international is sceptical that the latest initiative will bring about the fundamental changes Nigerian football needs, arguing that the major challenges confronting the game are already well known to those responsible for its administration.
Obafemi believes the NFF should be focusing less on identifying problems and more on accepting responsibility and taking action to correct them.
According to the former Super Eagles player, “the problems in the country’s football are known to everyone.”
He questioned why another committee was necessary when, in his view, the federation is already aware of the weaknesses affecting the administration and development of football in the country.
“The NFF does not need a committee to remind it of its responsibilities and failures in running the affairs of football in the country,” Obafemi said.
His criticism comes after the NFF established a six-member fact-finding committee to investigate the recent poor performances of Nigeria’s national teams.
The move has generated mixed reactions, with some stakeholders welcoming the attempt to examine the situation while others remain doubtful about whether the exercise will produce meaningful change.
For Obafemi, the concern is not simply about the latest committee, but about the history of similar exercises that have failed to produce the transformation expected by Nigerian football stakeholders.
He described the latest initiative as “another jamboree,” arguing that this is not the first time a committee has been established to examine problems within Nigerian football.
The former international believes previous experiences should make the football authorities cautious about repeating a process that ends with a report but produces little tangible change.
His position puts him firmly among those demanding more than investigations and recommendations from the NFF.
The debate also comes as Nigerian football faces broader questions over national-team performance, administration, grassroots development, the domestic game and the long-term direction of the sport.
While the committee has now been given the responsibility of examining the circumstances behind the national teams’ struggles, its eventual report will face a crucial test: whether its recommendations can translate into concrete reforms.
For Obafemi, however, Nigerians have heard enough explanations.
The former Super Eagles player wants the football authorities to move beyond committees and reports and confront the problems that have continued to hold the country’s football back.
The question now is whether the latest fact-finding exercise will finally lead to action—or become another report that gathers dust.
