By Jude Opara
With the kickoff of the glamorous European football leagues, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi has appealed to the Nigerian youths to also find the time and energy to get involved in the quest to have a better Nigeria.
Obi in a message to the youths on his verified X handle said the various supported of these European clubs in Nigeria are the young people, a reason he called on them to also spare a thought on the state of football in Nigeria.
In the message titled: ‘Beyond Football: The Match for a Better Nigeria’, the former governor of Anambra state said he decided to engage the youths about the future and state of Nigerian football.
“This weekend, Europe comes alive again with football. Millions of Nigerian youths will be glued to television screens, streaming matches, debating tactics, celebrating victories, and admiring the organisation, discipline, and excellence that make European football the envy of the world. But here is a question worth asking: Why can’t Nigerian football be just as good?
“The answer is not a lack of talent. Nigeria has produced world-class footballers who have excelled in Europe because they found systems that reward merit, invest in infrastructure, ensure security, and are governed with competence and accountability. Great football does not exist in isolation. It grows where there is good governance.
“The stadiums, academies, transport systems, healthcare, security, electricity, and institutions that support football are products of leaders who make the right choices and citizens who insist on accountability. Nigeria has the talent. What we have lacked is leadership that creates an enabling environment for that talent to flourish”.
The presidential hopeful further stated that in the buildup to the January 16 presidential election, he will continue to engage Nigerian youths, irrespective of in which part of the country they reside.
“As I have decided, in the next 150 days, to engage Nigerian youths wherever they gather—in town halls, campuses, online spaces, and even football communities—my message is simple: The future you admire in Europe can be built in Nigeria. But it starts with your vote.
“Imagine a Nigeria where our local league is competitive, our stadiums are full every weekend, our clubs attract sponsorship, our coaches receive proper training, and young footballers no longer see emigration as their only path to success.
“Nigeria will not emerge through wishful thinking. It will emerge when young Nigerians decide that elections matter as much as football matches. Every goal scored in Europe is a reminder that excellence is possible. Every well-managed league is proof that systems work when honest leadership is in place.
“The 2027 presidential election is therefore more than a political contest. It is an opportunity for Nigerian youths to choose the kind of country they want—a nation that exports talent because it is respected, not because its citizens are escaping failed governance.
“Cheer for Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, PSG, Inter, AC Milan, or any club you support. Enjoy every match. But when the final whistle blows, remember that the greatest match awaiting Nigerian youths is not in Europe. It is in Nigeria.
“It is the match for good governance. It is the match for jobs, security, education, sports development, and national renewal. And unlike football, where only twenty-two players are on the pitch, every Nigerian youth has a place in this match. Stand up. Mobilise. Vote. Defend your vote.
Obi further argued that if the youths channel the same energy they use in supporting their teams to the building of the nation, the country will become the envy of the rest of the world in no distant time.
“If Nigerian youths can passionately follow European football every weekend, they can also passionately build a Nigeria where our own football—and our nation—becomes a source of pride.
“The journey towards better Nigerian football begins with the path to good governance. And the path to good governance begins with the decision of Nigerian youths to stand up and be counted in 2027”, he stated.
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