THE PROFKAYODE

A MOMENT TO CELEBRATE NIGERIAN INDIGENOUS COACHES! Dear Nigerian coaches, this victory is also yours. For years, we have had conversations about the quality of our local coaches. Sometimes, they are dismissed, questioned, dragged on social media and made to look inferior simply because they are Nigerians. When results do not go our way, the criticism can be brutal. We sometimes struggle to give our own coaches the same benefit of the doubt and opportunities we readily extend to foreign coaches. Today, I want to say THANK YOU. Thank you to the coaches working in our academies, schools, grassroots football, state teams and national teams. Thank you to those identifying talents, developing young players, teaching the fundamentals and preparing the next generation of Nigerian footballers, often without the resources and recognition they deserve. Nigeria’s Flamingos have just become FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup champions, defeating Japan 2-1 in the final to make history as the first African nation to win the competition. THEY DID IT IN STYLE! Under indigenous Nigerian coach Akeem Ishola Busari, the Flamingos recorded 15 victories in 16 competitive matches, won two trophies in the process (WAFU B U17 Girls Cup and the U17 Women’s World Cup). At the World Cup, they recovered from an opening-day defeat to Poland to win six consecutive matches, defeating Puerto Rico, DPR Korea, Mexico, Venezuela, Brazil and Japan on their way to the title. This achievement comes with several historic milestones: * Nigeria are the first African nation to win the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup. * Nigeria have become the first African women’s national team to win a FIFA World Cup at any level. * Nigeria are the first African country to win both the men’s and women’s FIFA U-17 World Cups. MEET THE NIGERIAN TECHNICAL CREW: - Akeem Ishola Busari (Head Coach) @Hakeem_Busari95 - Joy Jegede-Idakwo (First Assistant Coach) - Aighewi Amenze Omodiaghe (Second Assistant Coach) - Kola Ige (Goalkeepers’ Coach) These are Nigerians with experience in our football. Jegede-Idakwo captained the Falconets and represented the Super Falcons. Omodiaghe was part of Nigeria’s squad at the inaugural FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in 2008. Kola Ige is also a former Nigeria international. To this technical crew, congratulations! This is not an argument that every Nigerian coach is automatically good or that foreign coaches have nothing to offer. Football is about competence, continuous development and results. But we must stop treating indigenous coaches as second-class options. Give them opportunities. Invest in their education. Provide the necessary support, structures and resources. Hold them accountable, just as we would any other coach, but allow them to work and prove their worth. We cannot continue to overlook the people developing our football from the grassroots and then wonder why we are not building sustainable structures. Nigerian coaches deserve opportunities, investment and respect, both online and offline. Celebrate them today. Invest in them tomorrow. Give them opportunities beyond moments of triumph. Congratulations, Flamingos. World Champions. Victor Ademola, PhD #AdemolaSports #Flamingos #U17WWC #Morocco2026 #NigerianFootball