“Apologize for what!?” — Okocha vows never to bow to NFF

By Monsurah Olatunji

Former Bolton Wanderers star Austin “Jay-Jay” Okocha has made it clear that he will not apologize for his criticism of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) following the appointment of Eric Chelle as Super Eagles head coach.

The NFF recently announced that Chelle, the former Mali national team coach, would take charge of Nigeria’s national football team on a two-year contract.

However, the decision has sparked a wave of criticism from ex-internationals, fans, and football stakeholders, including Okocha.

Okocha expressed concern that Chelle’s appointment could derail the Super Eagles’ ambitions of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup.

In addition to questioning the new coach’s suitability, the iconic former PSG and Super Eagles player also expressed doubts about the competence of the NFF board led by Ibrahim Musa Gusau.

In a bold statement, Okocha stressed that Nigerian football will not progress unless the current NFF officials are either dissolved or reformed.

Despite the backlash, Okocha emphasized that he would not apologize for speaking out, asserting that his comments were made in the best interest of Nigerian football as a concerned stakeholder.

“If their decision is taking me to court, so be it. We can’t continue to keep quiet while things continue to spoil,” he told The Guardian, as reported by OwngoalNigeria.

“I have received a series of messages asking me to apologize to the NFF, and my question is, ‘for what? For demanding a better committee?’ No, I can’t apologize for simply sharing my opinion. Don’t we still have the right to freedom of speech in Nigeria?

“Football is the only thing that keeps Nigeria united. It’s our source of joy. If we politicize it, what will be our hope for the future? We must be free to express our thoughts and concerns.”

Samuel Ahmadu

Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.

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