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From Taiwo Oluwadare, Ibadan
Spiritual leader Satguru Maharaj Ji has renewed his call for the immediate removal of Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle, urging the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to appoint a Nigerian as substantive coach of the national team.
In a lengthy statement made available to newsmen on Saturday and addressed to President Bola Tinubu and the NFF leadership, Maharaj Ji described the continued appointment of foreign coaches as “neocolonialist” and detrimental to Nigeria’s football progress. He argued that despite the Super Eagles’ abundance of talent, the team has failed to reach its full potential due to what he called cultural disconnection and lack of shared understanding between foreign coaches and Nigerian players.
According to him, Nigeria possesses capable indigenous coaches who understand the players’ mentality, environment and cultural realities better than expatriates. He warned that persistent reliance on non-African coaches undermines unity within the team and negatively affects performance on the international stage.
Maharaj Ji listed several former Super Eagles stars as possible candidates for the role, including Austin Jay-Jay Okocha, Samson Siasia, Emmanuel Amuneke, Augustine Eguavoen, Sunday Oliseh, Kanu Nwankwo and Fanny Amun. He insisted that appointing a Nigerian coach would mark a turning point for the national team and restore Nigeria’s dominance in world football.
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The spiritual leader also alleged that undisclosed agreements within football governing bodies have prevented qualified Nigerians from being given the opportunity to lead the Super Eagles, calling on authorities to end what he described as unfair and exploitative practices.
Reiterating his long-standing position, Maharaj Ji stressed that his demand is not driven by sentiment but by what he believes is a global shift favouring Africa and Black leadership. He urged the NFF to embrace this moment by trusting indigenous expertise and granting a Nigerian coach the same remuneration, authority and patience often extended to foreign managers.
He further cautioned against the premature dismissal of any Nigerian coach appointed, arguing that every new era comes with initial challenges that require patience and institutional support.
Maharaj Ji concluded by warning that failure to heed his advice could lead to serious consequences for the NFF leadership, while calling for reforms that prioritize national pride, fairness and respect for human dignity in Nigerian football administration.
“Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he said, while reaffirming his belief that Nigeria’s football revival lies in the hands of its own people.
