Former Super Eagles captain John Mikel Obi has criticised the alleged corruption in Nigerian football, stressing that it must be completely eradicated for the sport to progress.
Speaking on his ObiOne podcast in a video shared on X on Wednesday, the former Chelsea midfielder referenced conversations and images claiming that FIFA provided a $1.2 million grant to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for stadium projects, questioning how the funds were utilised.
“I’ve seen so many pictures, so many conversations about FIFA giving $1.2 million to the NFF to build stadiums. Have you seen that? The corruption has to be rooted out of the game,” Mikel said.
He, however, urged that discussions around corruption be set aside for now, emphasising that the immediate focus should be on Nigeria’s upcoming World Cup playoff matches.
“Now is not the best time to discuss those. This is the time for us to focus on the game at hand—playing the playoff game to get to the next round and then qualify,” he added.
Mikel also called on the NFF to prioritise player welfare and motivation, noting that proper management is key to achieving success.
“Whatever the NFF have to do to make those players come back, feel comfortable to perform, and give their best for the country, they have to do that right now,” he said.
He further noted that while Nigeria has one of the world’s top strikers in Victor Osimhen, qualification will depend on teamwork rather than individual talent.
“Don’t depend on Victor Osimhen alone. The team, everybody, needs to perform. Find the motivation in you, knowing that this is the biggest game of our lives, the nation’s life. We have to qualify for the World Cup. There are not two ways about it; we have to,” Mikel concluded.
