By Obas Esiedesa, Abuja

A football advocacy group, Reform Our Football, on Monday called on President Bola Tinubu to initiate far-reaching reforms in the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and improve the welfare of the Super Falcons.

The group also appealed to First Lady Oluremi Tinubu to intervene in what it described as the poor treatment of the women’s national team.

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, the General-Secretary of the group, Kemi Yesufu, said the current structure of the Nigeria Football Federation was no longer representative of the interests of millions of football-loving Nigerians.

She called for a review of the NFF statutes and voting structure, arguing that “53 people cannot decide the fate of 250 million football-loving Nigerians.”

According to her, the voting bloc should be expanded to include ex-footballers, supporters’ clubs, league representatives, coaches, referees, football administrators, the media, anti-corruption groups and other stakeholders.

The group expressed concern over the welfare and management of the Super Falcons, accusing the football federation of treating the team like “second-class citizens.”

Yesufu, who was flanked at the briefing by Daniella Udeh and Dominic Ifeanyi, said the players were being subjected to “systemic slavery” through poor welfare conditions and an atmosphere where they were allegedly unable to speak out for fear of victimisation or blacklisting.

She also claimed that the team’s international windows had been poorly managed ahead of the forthcoming Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.

“We call on the mother of the nation, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, to come to the aid of the Super Falcons. We plead that she calls the attention of Mr. President to the plight of the Super Falcons,” she said.

The group further criticised the state of Nigeria’s age-grade football teams, noting that the country’s once-dominant youth sides had struggled in recent years.

It lamented the decline of the Golden Eaglets, Flying Eagles and Olympic Eagles, while also referencing the failure of the Super Eagles to qualify for consecutive FIFA World Cups.

On coaching appointments, the group demanded transparency in the recruitment process for national team coaches, alleging that appointments were often carried out secretly without public scrutiny or accountability.

It also faulted the continued appointment of male coaches to female national teams despite what it described as FIFA’s preference for women to manage women’s teams.

The advocacy group, which petitioned the President Tinubu and the First Lady on the issues, further demanded accountability from sports administrators, alleging that funds disbursed by FIFA for football development were not transparently managed.

According to the group, while players were frequently owed allowances and bonuses, former football administrators allegedly amassed wealth during their time in office.

The group also accused security agencies of frustrating its planned peaceful protests in Abuja.

Yesufu said police officers stopped members from marching to the NFF headquarters on April 23 despite prior notification to the authorities, while another planned protest at the National Assembly on May 5 was allegedly blocked after police declined to receive their protest letter.

She maintained that peaceful protest and freedom of assembly were constitutional rights and vowed that the campaign for football reforms would continue.

“We are not enemies of Nigerian football. Rather, we are its conscience,” she said.