Former Governor of Anambra State and Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, has condemned the alleged mismanagement of funds released to Nigeria by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), describing it as a reflection of the deeper corruption afflicting the nation’s governance system.
In a statement posted on his LinkedIn page titled “Corruption in Sports: A Reflection of Nigeria’s Deeper Malaise,” Obi said that while Nigeria continues to grapple with insecurity, poverty, and rising unemployment, the most disheartening challenge remains the “entrenched corruption that permeates every facet” of national life — particularly in sectors that could drive growth and development.
Obi expressed outrage over recent revelations by FIFA regarding the misuse of funds meant for stadium development and youth football talent growth by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). He described the development as “sickening and shameful,” adding that it underscores the poor management of Nigeria’s scarce resources.
“FIFA’s recent revelation about the mismanagement of funds released to Nigeria’s Football Federation for stadium development and youth talent growth is both sickening and shameful. It perfectly mirrors the broader decay in how our scarce national resources are handled,” he wrote.
Recalling his experience as governor, Obi said officials from the Sports Federation once informed his administration that Awka had been selected as one of six locations for a FIFA-funded standard stadium. He said land was promptly allocated for the project, which was to be executed through the Federal Ministry of Sports, but the initiative was never implemented.
Believing the project was underway, Obi said his government instead focused on developing smaller sports facilities across the state to encourage grassroots participation. Among these were the Chuba Ikpeazu Memorial Stadium and Godwin Achebe Stadium, both in Onitsha. When the promised FIFA project failed to materialize, the state later embarked on constructing the Awka Stadium through its own resources.
Expressing disappointment at the latest reports on FIFA funds, Obi lamented what he described as a “blatant squandering of opportunities” that could have improved youth engagement and national sports infrastructure.
He further criticized those who accuse reform advocates of “demarketing” Nigeria, insisting that the true enemies of the country’s image are the corrupt officials who mismanage public funds.
“The real demarketers of Nigeria are the incompetent leaders who have forged their way to wealth through the mismanagement and theft of public funds — resources that should have been used to provide schools, healthcare, and employment for our youths and to nurture their talents,” he stated.
Citing reports, Obi noted that since 2013, about $25 million has been received by the NFF from FIFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for youth and football development, yet “there is little or nothing to show for it.” He described the much-publicized $1.2 million stadium in Kebbi State as “a national embarrassment,” arguing that its quality does not justify the reported expenditure.
Obi called for greater transparency and accountability in the management of sports development funds, warning that continued corruption would further rob Nigeria’s youth of opportunities for growth and empowerment.
Anthony Nwosu
