Ikpeba Warns Against NFF Normalisation Committee, Urges Caution

Former Super Eagles forward Victor Nosa Ikpeba has cautioned against calls for the establishment of a Normalisation Committee to run the affairs of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), warning that such a move could further destabilise Nigerian football.

Ikpeba, the 1997 African Footballer of the Year, said there was a need for careful consideration before taking any action that could disrupt the country’s football structure.

The former Monaco star spoke with reporters in Lagos at the weekend against the backdrop of the Super Falcons’ failure to qualify for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup and a series of disappointing results involving Nigeria’s national teams.

“I can understand this feeling of despair because the Super Falcons failed to qualify for the World Cup. It will be their first time missing the FIFA event, and of course that World Cup just ended in the USA without the Super Eagles,” Ikpeba said.

“But there’s this popular saying that we should not throw away the baby with the bath water. And this is what I am driving at.”

The former international said his major concern was that the current crisis should not be allowed to escalate to a point where it affects Nigeria’s other national teams and future competitions.

“We are about to start the qualifiers with the U23 Eagles heading to the Olympics. We still have the junior women’s teams heading to the Olympics, and these are the feeder teams to the Super Falcons. What we do with the junior teams matters a lot,” he said.

Ikpeba also questioned the rationale behind establishing a Normalisation Committee, insisting that Nigeria could reform the NFF while maintaining its existing structures and democratic processes.

“Who is going to head such a Normalisation Committee, which in the first place is not necessary as there is no fight within the NFF and the election?” he asked.

“Let’s not go into things that can worsen the situation and leave us drifting for the next one, and the other aspects of our football then suffer. We can improve the NFF and hold a credible democratic election without resorting to extreme measures.”

The Super Falcons’ failure to qualify for the 2027 World Cup, coming after a series of setbacks involving other Nigerian national teams, has intensified calls for changes to the NFF leadership.

Amid the growing agitation, reports have emerged that some senior officials of the National Sports Commission (NSC) may seek a meeting with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to discuss the possibility of establishing a Normalisation Committee to oversee the NFF for three months.

The claim, however, remains unverified.

According to the reports, the proposed committee could potentially replace the NFF Elective Congress scheduled to hold next month in Lafia, Nasarawa State.

Ikpeba’s intervention comes as debate over the future direction of Nigerian football intensifies, with stakeholders divided between calls for immediate administrative changes and those advocating reforms through the existing democratic process.