I read the interview Chief Adegboye Onigbinde granted Complete Sports a few days ago. The headline was very catchy and truck a cord – NFA not developing football.

It is so simple yet so true. I cannot understand why this is so. Although the NFA’s primary role is not the development of football, by the very nature of Nigerian football the NFA should have endeavoured to take on that responsibility. It can easily do so by sheperding all stakeholders in Nigerian football to develop as well as promote football.
Football must be developed for the national team to flourish and do well consistently.
The NFA must make the grassroots stronger in terms of discovering young talents, honing their talents and picking the best of them for national assignments.

What the NFA needs to do is set up institutions and the framework or guidelines for the development of the game in the country.
At grassroots level, at club level and at national teams level.
Lets look at the elementary things that need be done.

Grassroots. How can the NFA influence the growth of the game at this level.
Schools. The streets! Academies! Supervises football in Nigeria without necessarily controlling the entirety f the game.
How can the NFA influence resumption of football in schools?

Revive the Academicals champion ship which is under its jurisdiction. Make it a grand project! Get the State Football Associations the mandate and some financial support to organize the competition amongst schools in the States. The best of them should be assembled to play the national academicals competition. The State FA’s must be very strict in enforcing discipline and rules of the competition. A massive campaign to make football restored in schools. FIFA will very happily give Nigeria some grant and sports equipment like balls and kits for the schools. With these in place football will be resumed in schools. The Honorable Minister of Sports must convince the Minister of Education that the Academicals competition be included in the national calendar.

Street soccer. Lagos State has taken a bold step by initiating Street soccer in the State. Well organized it is bound to generate unprecedented interest at the local government level. With proper incentives and a well-oiled organisation, the Lagos State example should become a working copy for every other State.

Academies. These are an essential part of grassroots football development. Whereas the schools may not have all the time because of the conflict with academics, beyond secondary school, the academies should become more relevant and effective. That’s where governments come in. That’s where the State Commissioners for Sports should be most felt. Each State should set up and fund a football academy to give proper trai ning to young stars discovered to have exceptional talent in football. The academies should also provide some level of academics to make the players more complete and ready for  life outside the game. Academies should not be assembly grounds for foreign coaches but genuine e train ing camps for players where the rudiments of the game are well taught!