There was a time when Nigeria’s streets and sandy pitches overflowed with raw footballing talents. From Ajegunle to Kaduna, from Jos to Enugu. It was the golden era that produced iconic stars like Jay-Jay Okocha, Nwankwo Kanu, and more recently, Victor Osimhen.
Today, that once-reliable conveyor belt of world-class players appears broken, forcing the nation to depend increasingly on foreign-born talents of Nigerian descent.
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For Kelvin IriKefe, fondly known as Don Kefe, founder of AJ Lischester FC of Ajegunle, the grassroots club that produced Odion Ighalo and Brown Ideye, the decline is not accidental. It is, he says, “a product of government neglect, poor coaching, and lost passion.”
Having spent over three decades in football development, Kefe speaks with the conviction of experience and the pain of someone who has watched dreams fade before his eyes.
“In the past, grassroots football was driven purely by passion,” he lamented. “Now, it’s about money. Many coaches today are more like portfolio managers, they chase connections instead of nurturing real talent.”
Kefe also faults the government for allowing the very foundation of football to collapse.
“Back then, every neighborhood had a football field,” he recalled. “Today, those spaces have been turned into shops and buildings. Without infrastructure, grassroots football cannot thrive.”
He argues that genuine football development goes far beyond training sessions. It demands structured coaching education, player insurance, physiotherapy, welfare systems, and long-term planning.
“Football has moved to the boardroom,” Kefe said. “Until the government and stakeholders build systems that protect and empower young players, Nigeria will keep losing its brightest talents.”
Despite his criticism, Kefe remains hopeful especially about the role of the media in rebuilding the game.
“I commend sports journalists for promoting young players,” he added. “Keep shining the spotlight on them. That’s how we’ll rebuild Nigerian football.”
Yet, Kefe’s perspective is not just that of a coach but of someone whose own dream was cut short.
“I started like every other kid on the street, playing football out of passion and dreaming of becoming a superstar,” he recalled. “But injuries ended my very promising career.”
Even then, his love for the game never died. In the early 1980s, Kefe starred as a striker for UAC FC in the Lagos Super League — one of the most competitive sides of that era.
He later represented the University of Jos and the NYSC team, and captained the Federal School of Arts and Science, Lagos between 1985 and 1986.
The squad that featured future legends like Uduka Ugbade and Babatunde Joseph, both members of Nigeria’s historic 1985 FIFA U-17 World Cup-winning team.
When injuries ended his playing career, Kefe turned his heartbreak into purpose, founding AJ Lischester FC in Ajegunle.
The grassroots academy gone ahead to produced top professionals, including Odion Ighalo and Brown Ideye, who went on to represent Nigeria at international level.
Through the years, Kefe has not only coached but also housed and supported young players, providing food, guidance, and discipline to help them pursue their dreams amid the struggles of life in Ajegunle.
And though the road remains rough for Nigerian grassroots football, Don Kefe’s story and his enduring belief in youth — reminds us that Nigeria is not short of talent.
What it truly lacks is vision, structure, and sincerity of purpose.
