Obafemi Martins tips President Tinubu’s son to become NFF boss – “He understands the game”

Retold by Oddsrama · 31 August 2026

Nigeria's football crisis just got a celebrity twist. Obafemi Martins, the former Super Eagles striker who lit up defences across Europe during his playing days, has thrown his weight behind an unlikely candidate to lead the Nigeria Football Federation: Seyi Tinubu, son of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Speaking on the ObiOne Podcast, Martins argued that Nigerian football needs a young, game-savvy leader who truly understands what the nation craves—and in his view, Tinubu fits that bill. The endorsement has raised eyebrows, given Seyi's profile is rooted more in politics and entertainment than football governance, but Martins was clear: fresh thinking is urgently needed.

The timing of Martins' comments makes sense. Nigeria's football fortunes have hit rock bottom. The Super Eagles missed the 2026 World Cup after a shocking qualifying campaign. The Super Falcons crashed out of the Women's Africa Cup of Nations at the quarter-final stage—a first in the tournament's history. The Flying Eagles didn't even qualify for the Under-20 AFCON. These cascading failures led to Ibrahim Gusau's resignation as NFF President last week, officially blamed on personal reasons but widely read as pressure from above. The domestic league shows signs of recovery, yet the national teams' collapse paints a damning picture of systemic dysfunction.

Martins, a clinical finisher who scored 18 goals in 42 Super Eagles appearances and graced clubs like Inter Milan and Newcastle United, believes the NFF needs a complete structural overhaul, not just a new face. His pitch for Tinubu rests on youth, understanding of the game, and connection to what ordinary Nigerians want. Whether Tinubu has the football credentials or interest remains unclear—few expect a politician or entertainment figure to suddenly manage Nigeria's most important sports body. For betting markets tracking Nigerian football's stability and performance, such leadership uncertainty adds another layer of unpredictability to future tournaments and qualifying campaigns.

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