Nigerian Football
PRESENTING THE QUALIFIED MINISTERS THAT NIGERIA DESERVES
BY KUNLE SOLAJA
The issue of appointment of ministers to form the federal cabinet in Nigeria has again come to the fore. The legislative arm of government has reportedly urged the list to be forwarded before the end of this week.
That is what has informed this list being released now. After exhaustive screening of the over 100 million citizens, one has come up with an almost perfect list of those that the President should appoint to run the new cabinet of Nigeria.
Everyone will agree it is not an easy task to go through the CV of close to 100 million Nigerians to pick the new ministers and give them portfolios.
That is exactly what one has been able to achieve. Here are the great men and women that should put some vigour into the art of governance.
MINISTER OF DEFENCE
Kenneth Omeruo stands tall as a Minister of Defence. Not only is he the longest serving defender in the Super Eagles, he showed he could also go on the offensive when it is necessary. Recall that as a defender, it was his offensive move that got Nigeria the qualification for the Round of 16 in the just concluded Africa Cup of Nations.
But for the goal, Nigeria may have kissed goodbye to the competition at the group stage as the Super Eagles would have only had four points. As a long-standing defender, he has proven that he can defend the Nigerian territory. That he ventured forward to score a goal means that he can also go on the offensive against the Boko Haram and chase them out of the Nigerian territory.
Take a bow, Honorable Minister, Kenneth Omeruo. You are hereby confirmed as a Minister of the Federal Republic.
MINISTER OF LABOUR
It is of common knowledge that most governments and indeed, the private sector have failed to meet their commitments in paying for services that many Nigerians rendered.
Who else fits the position of Minister of Labour other than Rita Chikwelu, the indefatigable captain of the 2016 Super Falcons!
She led the squad to win on the field and ensured that her co-labourers efforts were not in vain.
She led the protest that ensured the team was paid. Not only that, her efforts rubbed off on the Super Eagles who were also paid outstanding allowances as the Federal Government, Lagos State Government and private individuals promptly stepped out with dollarized incentives to avert possible boycott of matches by the Super Eagles at the Africa Cup of Nations.
With Rita Chikwelu at the helms in the Ministry of Labour, there will no longer be stories of workers being owed salaries.
MINISTER OF PETROLEUM
The longest running schools sports programme in the country today is perhaps the Shell/NNPC Cup. Of course the brain behind it is the mathematical Segun Odegbami.
With his years of experience on the Shell/NNPC project, he must have garnered enough skills in the petroleum industry. Imagine if he were to be the Petroleum minister, he will mathematically calculate the best price that Nigerians can afford to get petroleum products.
The same skill he employed to dislodge defences on the football field will come handy in wading off barriers in delivering petroleum products to Nigerians. Let’s hail our new Minister of Petroleum, Chief Segun Odegbami.
Step out, Honorable Minister, Chief Olusegun Odegbami, MON, our Minister of Petroleum.
MINISTER OF TRANSPORT
Who else, but Chierika Ugogu, the American-born Nigerian rower who reportedly raised $15,000 to transport herself to the Rio Olympics thus becoming the first Nigerian to feature in Rowing at Olympics. With her, transportation across Nigeria will get a boost.
MINISTER OF JUSTICE
It has always been a prayer that we have a country where no man is oppressed. We desire a country where justice thrives.
We need a fair arbiter. No doubt, the cap fits Abel Baba, the only Nigerian referee invited to officiate at the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations. If the continent found him good, we should not hesitate to appoint him as our minister of justice as he completed his assignment at Gabon. 2017. After him, no other Nigerian arbiter had been found worthy.
MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE
The Yorubas have a proverb that says, when hunger is eliminated, poverty is alleviated. I also remember that the government of President Shehu Shagari emphasised so much on agriculture that he launched its famous “Green Revolution”.
Do we need to search far to know who the cap fits to champion a Green Revolution in Nigeria? Step out, Barrister Christopher Green!
He was part of the administration of the NFF when the Dankaro House was presented to the NFF. The building is now overgrown with green vegetation.
The surroundings of the ‘new’ Dankoro House are still all green, even without the application of fertilizers. Imagine if we have such genius handling the agric sector, there will be abundance of green zones all over the country.
Even, the express roads will turn green without application of fertilizers, thus saving a chunk of revenue importing such.
Come forward, Honorable Minister of Agriculture, Barrister Christopher Green. Continue grinning!
MINISTER OF HEALTH
Ah! This is the simplest task. Who else other than Femi Otedola who is bankrolling the health bills of prominent sports personalities? He did for Chairman Christian Chukwu and is understandably doing it for former national team goalkeeper, Peter Fregene. With Otedola in charge of the health sector, the wellbeing of Nigerians will be assured.
Congratulations, Honorable Minister, Femi Otedola!
MINISTER OF POWER
We all know the importance of power in any economy. Who else can lift power supply in the country other than a world champion in power lifting?
A certain Ezuruike Roland set three records in power lifting enroute his gold medal feat at the Rio 2016 Games. We can all see that power dwells in him.
Do we need another proof that he is the most qualified person to man the power sector? With him on the saddle, power will get a lift in Nigeria as he has been engaging in powerlifting.
MINISTER OF SPORTS
For many years, most sports ministers in Nigeria turned out to be ‘Minister of Football’. We earnestly need a departure from the past.
We need an all-rounder. This is where Chioma Ajunwa-Opara (MON) fits in. She is a former track and field athlete who was also a footballer for Nigeria.
She remains the only Nigerian to have represented the country internationally in two diverse disciplines – Women World Cup in China ’91 and Olympic Games in 1996. In athletics, she was both a runner and jumper.
Chioma is Nigeria’s first Olympic gold medallist, Nigeria’s only individual Olympic gold medallist and Africa’s only woman to win an Olympic gold medal in a field event.
Also, as an athlete, she ran in the 100m and 200m. No doubt, as our sports minister, she will not focus on football alone.
MINISTER OF FINANCE
When you are financially depressed, you need someone to meet your expectation to a point. This is where Super Eagles’ Ogenyi Onazi fits in for the position of Minister of Finance.
While others watched from the sidelines the unfolding drama, after Super Falcons’ eighth win of the African Women Championship in December 2016, Onazi met their needs to a point by donating the sum of N1million Naira to the players in addition to N200, 000 to injured Falcon’s defender, Onome Ebi.
With Onazi managing the finance of the country, Nigerians are assured of bail-out to meet urgent and immediate needs.
MINISTER OF INFORMATION
While many based their reports on the audit query raised by FIFA to the NFF on speculations, leading to denials that such a thing happened, a certain Olusesan Ajibade of New Telegraph sent a mail to FIFA and rightly informed Nigerians of the situation.
Just imagine if this man handles the information ministry, the era of misinforming Nigerians will come to an end.
Therefore, let the Senate confirm Olusesan Ajibade as our Minister of Information.
With these people at the helms, governance will reach higher than Next Level.
Rivers United head coach and technical manager, Finidi George, has praised young defender Ochiobi Elias following his outstanding performance in the club’s hard-fought 1-0 victory over Niger Tornadoes in a rescheduled Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) fixture on Wednesday at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, Port Harcourt.
The left-back, who played the full 90 minutes, was instrumental in helping Rivers United maintain a clean sheet, marking one of his most confident outings since his promotion to the senior squad.
Finidi, visibly impressed after the match, revealed that his decision to give Elias a full game was driven by trust in the player’s potential, despite his limited minutes earlier in the season.
“I think he did well. Normally, we should have been bringing him in gradually — maybe 15 minutes before giving him a 90-minute match,” Finidi said. “But I trust him, and I’ve spoken to him. He should be relaxed, calm down, and play his football.”
The coach also highlighted a near-miss moment when Elias came close to scoring late in the game, a chance Finidi felt could have crowned his stellar performance.
“I think today he would have scored a goal at the last moment, but he still wanted to square the ball, look for somebody,” Finidi added. “I’m quite happy with his performance, and we will keep encouraging him to do better. I am very, very pleased.”
Elias, a product of the Rivers United youth team that won the NPFL Youth League in 2024, has been gradually integrated into the first team under Finidi’s guidance. His performance on Wednesday is seen as a major step forward in his development and a sign of his growing confidence.
The youngster is now expected to retain his place in the squad as Rivers United travel to Aba this Sunday for a crucial NPFL clash against Enyimba.
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Strategic partners of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on the President Federation Cup, GTI Group, have congratulated the football governing body on the successful hosting of its Annual General Meeting (AGM) held last weekend in Ibadan, Oyo State.
In a press statement issued on Friday in Lagos, GTI’s Head of Media and Publicity, Andrew Ekejiuba, lauded the NFF Board under the leadership of Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau for the smooth conduct of the AGM and the significant progress made in Nigerian football development.
According to Ekejiuba, the Ibadan meeting reflected Gusau’s commitment to engaging stakeholders and strengthening unity across the football ecosystem.
“GTI Group congratulates the Nigeria Football Federation on the successful outcome of its Annual General Meeting held in Ibadan, which the President of NFF, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau, used the occasion to demonstrate his commitment to engaging positively with football stakeholders, including state football associations, clubs and fans,” he said.
“His interactions with the various groups at the AGM showcased his impactful leadership and dedication to promoting Nigerian football and fostering a collaborative environment.”
Ekejiuba also highlighted the Super Falcons’ recent achievements and the growth of domestic competitions, particularly the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), as key milestones recorded under Gusau’s leadership. GTI serves as a strategic partner of the NPFL, supporting its structural and commercial transformation.
The statement further expressed appreciation to Governor Seyi Makinde and the people of Oyo State for their hospitality and support during the AGM. Ekejiuba noted the governor’s commendation of the improved standard of refereeing in the NPFL under the administration of Otunba Gbenga Elegbeleye.
However, GTI also used the opportunity to express disappointment over the early exit of Kwara United and Abia Warriors from the CAF Confederation Cup, urging Nigerian clubs to raise their competitive standards on the continental stage.
“It is unfortunate that both Kwara United and Abia Warriors crashed out at the preliminary phase of the CAF Confederation Cup last weekend. This clearly shows that Nigerian clubs must raise their game in order to compete favourably,” the statement read.
“The future remains bright, but that is why GTI has been calling on Corporate Nigeria to invest more in our football, just as is done in thriving leagues across the world.”
Ekejiuba also extended words of encouragement to Remo Stars and Rivers United, who are still flying Nigeria’s flag in the CAF Champions League.
“We encourage them to dig deep and remain focused to ensure successful campaigns. They should give Nigerian football fans something to cheer this season because we understand how demanding continental competitions can be,” he concluded.
GTI Group reaffirmed its continued commitment to working closely with the NFF to advance football development, promote professionalism, and attract sustainable investment into the Nigerian game.
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The Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) has queried Warri Wolves following reports of the suspension of their head coach, Aluma Napoleon, faulting the club’s failure to comply with established procedures for contracting and registering technical officials.
In a letter titled “Notarization and Registration of Contracts” and signed by the NPFL Chief Operating Officer, Davidson Owumi, the league body directed the Delta-based club to regularize all contractual documentation with its technical and management staff in line with NPFL regulations.
The NPFL’s letter stated:
“Information reaching us from the media space suggests that the Delta State Sports Commission has suspended your head coach, Mr. Aluma Napoleon, with immediate effect.”
Citing Sections B, Articles 6 and 11 of the NPFL 2025/26 Framework and Rules, the league reminded Warri Wolves that all clubs are required to submit notarized contracts of their officials for registration and record purposes.
“You are, however, in breach of these sections as Warri Wolves FC have not submitted the contracts of its officials to the League Board. You are hereby requested, within twenty-four hours of receiving this letter, to submit all relevant contracts of your technical team, including that of the assumed suspended head coach, Mr. Napoleon Aluma, to the NPFL Secretariat,” the letter warned.
The NPFL further cautioned that failure to comply could lead to sanctions, including restricting Warri Wolves’ technical crew from accessing the bench in subsequent league matches.
“Note that failure to comply with this instruction will lead to the restriction of your technical team from accessing the technical area in future NPFL matches,” the league stated.
In a related statement to NPFL Media, COO Davidson Owumi stressed that the Warri Wolves case was not isolated, adding that all clubs yet to register the contracts of their technical officials must do so without delay.
“I must admonish all coaches to get hold of their contracts and lodge a report with the NPFL when there is a violation of the terms. It is the responsibility of the aggrieved to petition the league at all times,” Owumi emphasized.
The NPFL has been tightening administrative controls in recent seasons to ensure transparency, professionalism, and adherence to contractual obligations across all participating clubs.
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