Olopade Praises Gusau, NFF Board Over Resignation, Says Tinubu’s Football Reform Directive Must Be Taken Seriously

Olopade Praises Gusau, NFF Board Over Resignation, Says Tinubu’s Football Reform Directive Must Be Taken Seriously

Ohis Asein

The Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Hon. Bukola Olopade, has commended the immediate past President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau, and members of his board for taking what they considered to be in the best interest of Nigerian football by voluntarily resigning from office.

Olopade described the decision as a profound one, stressing that nobody should underestimate the significance of an entire football federation board willingly stepping aside without being forced to do so.

According to him, Gusau remains a complete gentleman who served Nigerian football at a very challenging period.

“They have done what they think was in the best interest of Nigeria, and they did it without anybody putting pressure on them to resign. That is something profound. Ibrahim Gusau was a complete gentleman.”

Olopade, however, noted that managing sports in Nigeria at any level is never an easy responsibility, whether at the local government, state or federal level.

He said Nigerians are highly intelligent and extremely passionate about sports, particularly football, which remains the undisputed king of sports in the country.

“Football is the King of Sports, and when you understand the passion Nigerians have for football, you will also understand that it is a very tough terrain to trench on,” Olopade stated.

The NSC DG said the resignation should therefore not be viewed merely as the end of one administration, but as an opportunity to begin a new chapter for Nigerian football.

His comments come at a critical moment for the country's football administration, following the resignation of Gusau, NFF General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi and members of the NFF Executive Committee.

Olopade also stressed the need for Nigerians and football stakeholders to pay serious attention to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's call for comprehensive reforms in Nigerian football.

He said the focus should now shift from personalities to building a football system that can deliver sustainable development, stronger administration, better player welfare, improved grassroots development and greater international success.

The NSC and NFF had previously held high-level discussions on repositioning Nigerian football, including plans aimed at improving player welfare, strengthening club licensing, enhancing the commercial value of the domestic league and attracting greater private-sector investment.

For Olopade, the real task now is clear: Nigeria must use this moment to fix its football, build stronger structures and ensure that football ultimately wins.