We lost it before we even started. I’ve tried to avoid the debate surrounding Eric Chelle’s appointment as Super Eagles coach, but silence is no longer an option. Wherever I go, people stop me: “Effiong Nyong, why did you appoint that Malian, Eric Chelle?
Is he as good as Eguavoen?” Their frustration is palpable, but they don’t understand—I’m just a journalist. I have no influence on such decisions.
All I can do is write, speak on radio or television, or post my opinions online, knowing they change nothing.
The truth is this: we appointed Eric Chelle the day Nigerian football stakeholders sold their souls for money.
That pivotal moment came when Taiwo Ogunjobi, a seasoned administrator and ex-international, was passed over in favor of Melvin Amaju Pinnick as president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). On that day, the game was irreparably compromised, and everyone involved bears the blame.
The Pinnick Era: A Tale of Missteps
When Pinnick took office, he inherited a thriving football landscape:
1. The 2013 AFCON champions under Stephen Keshi.
2. The 2013 U-17 World Cup winners under Manu Garba.
3. The 2015 U-17 World Cup winners under Emmanuel Amuneke.
4. The 2016 Olympic bronze medalists in Rio.
Under his watch, we went from a unified football supporters’ club and players’ union to multiple splinter groups. His administration hired and fired Gernot Rohr and José Peseiro, and now influences Eric Chelle’s tenure. What is their legacy? Elevating a fan into global football circles for personal gain while our football crumbles.
The current NFF board, led by Ibrahim Gusau, is no different. Expecting magic from them is wishful thinking—they are merely a continuation of Pinnick’s failed policies.
Eguavoen vs. Chelle: A False Comparison
Comparing Austin Eguavoen, who won an AFCON bronze medal in 2006, to Eric Chelle is laughable. Chelle did not appoint himself. The blame lies with those who prioritized money over competence, those who voted for short-term gains at the expense of our football’s future.
This isn’t the first time Nigerian football has been marred by drama. From Bora Milutinovic in 1998 to Lars Lagerbäck in 2010, we’ve seen poor decisions cloaked as progress. But today’s situation is uniquely dire, a culmination of years of neglect and self-interest.
A Final Reflection
Let Eric Chelle be. He’s not the problem. The real culprits are the delegates who voted for money, the stakeholders who buried the game, and those who silenced critical voices.
For my friend, Taiwo Ogunjobi, who might have transformed Nigerian football, I pray his soul finds peace. For the rest of us, let’s accept the bitter truth: we are reaping what we sowed a decade ago. The price of compromise is steep, and we are living its consequences.
