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.

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Former Nigeria international Austin Popo has called for a broader examination of the country’s football system, warning that changing or suspending the Nigeria Football Federation leadership alone will not solve the deeper problems affecting the game.

Popo’s comments come amid renewed debate over the NFF’s administration and the federation’s electoral process, with several former internationals and football stakeholders calling for significant changes in the way Nigerian football is governed.

According to Popo, the focus should extend beyond the NFF itself to the state football associations, which play an important role in the structure through which representatives emerge into the NFF Congress.

“There is no need for NFF intervention,” Popo argued, insisting that Nigeria must address the structures at the state level if it genuinely wants to reform football administration.

The former international believes simply suspending the NFF Congress or removing the current leadership would not necessarily address the underlying issues if the system that produces the delegates remains unchanged.

“If you suspend the NFF Congress today, what happens to the state football associations?” Popo’s position essentially asks, highlighting the need to examine the entire chain of football administration rather than concentrating solely on the national federation.

His argument introduces another dimension to the increasingly intense debate surrounding the future of Nigerian football.

While criticism of the NFF has largely centred on national-team performances and governance, Popo believes sustainable reform must go much deeper.

State football associations, grassroots structures, clubs, youth development and the domestic game all form part of the foundation from which Nigeria’s football talent and administration should develop.

The former international’s latest position is also significant because it comes as attention turns towards the forthcoming NFF electoral process. Rather than simply replacing individuals at the top, Popo wants stakeholders to examine the system itself.

That approach could make the difference between a temporary change in leadership and genuine structural reform.

Nigeria has repeatedly produced outstanding footballers and enjoyed major success with its national teams, but questions about administration, player development and the strength of domestic structures have continued to dominate discussions among former players and football stakeholders.

For Popo, therefore, the solution cannot be limited to the Super Eagles or the NFF board.

“Nigeria must fix the state football structures,” is the central message from the former international as the debate over the future of Nigerian football intensifies.

The message is clear: changing the people at the top may not be enough if the structure beneath them remains unchanged.

And with Nigerian football once again at a crossroads, Popo believes the country needs to fix the foundation before expecting a different result at the top.

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Former Super Eagles defender Juwon Oshaniwa has joined the growing calls for the Nigeria Football Federation board to step aside, arguing that years of poor administration and mismanagement have left Nigerian football in need of a major change.

Oshaniwa’s criticism comes as pressure continues to mount on the NFF leadership following the federation’s decision to establish a fact-finding committee to examine the problems surrounding Nigeria’s national teams and the wider state of the country’s football.

The former international, however, is not convinced that another committee will provide the answers Nigerian football needs.

Oshaniwa told Brila.net that the problems confronting the country’s football administration have persisted for years, pointing to what he described as “inept competitiveness, mal-administration, and mismanagement” under the current leadership.

For the former Super Eagles defender, the solution should go beyond another investigation.

He believes the current NFF board should accept responsibility and make way for a new leadership capable of taking Nigerian football in a different direction.

Oshaniwa also expressed his lack of confidence in the fact-finding committee, saying he does not expect the exercise to produce the kind of positive outcome that Nigerian football stakeholders are hoping for.

His position places him alongside a growing group of former internationals and stakeholders demanding significant changes within the country’s football administration.

The debate has intensified following the NFF’s decision to establish a fact-finding panel after a difficult period for Nigeria’s national teams.

While supporters of the committee believe it could identify the causes of recent setbacks and recommend solutions, critics argue that many of the problems are already well known.

Oshaniwa’s argument is that Nigerian football has reached a point where action is more important than another round of investigations.

The former defender was part of the Super Eagles squad that won the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations and represented Nigeria at the 2014 FIFA World Cup, giving his criticism particular weight as a former player who experienced the national-team system at the highest level.

The central question now is whether the NFF leadership can withstand the growing criticism from former players and other stakeholders, or whether the calls for a change at the top will continue to gather momentum.

For Oshaniwa, the answer appears clear: Nigerian football needs a new direction, and he believes that change must begin with the current NFF board stepping aside.

As the fact-finding committee begins its work, the former Super Eagles defender has already made his position clear, he wants action, not another report.

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