Former Super Eagles striker Obafemi Martins has endorsed Seyi Tinubu as a possible president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), saying the businessman, lawyer and philanthropist has the youth and understanding required to help reform Nigerian football.
Martins made the comments on the Obi One Podcast, hosted by former Super Eagles captain John Obi Mikel, during a discussion about the long-standing leadership problems affecting the administration of football in Nigeria.
The former striker said the game had struggled with leadership for many years and needed a new direction. His intervention comes at a time of serious uncertainty within the NFF, after Ibrahim Musa Gusau resigned as president.
The resignation was followed by the departure of the federation’s general secretary and several members of its executive committee. The changes came after a series of disappointing results by Nigeria’s national teams.
Among the setbacks were the Super Eagles’ failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the Super Falcons’ early elimination from the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
Martins described Seyi Tinubu, who is 40, as someone who was already showing an interest in football and issues affecting young people. However, Seyi Tinubu has not publicly declared that he wants to contest for the NFF presidency.
His father, President Bola Tinubu, previously ordered a comprehensive reform of Nigerian football after the country’s qualification failures and wider structural difficulties.
The former international’s support for Seyi Tinubu has prompted a mixed response from figures within the Nigerian football community.
Some former players have challenged the suggestion, arguing that the federation should be led either by people with extensive experience in football administration or by younger former internationals with a direct background in the sport.
Others have interpreted Martins’ comments as an argument for bringing new leadership into the NFF and creating a closer relationship between football administrators and supporters.
The federation’s reform process is widely viewed by stakeholders as an opportunity to rebuild the system. Martins’ endorsement has added to the public debate over who should assume responsibility once those reforms are completed.
Although Seyi Tinubu is not currently involved in formal football administration, the backing from Martins has put his name into the discussion about the NFF’s future leadership.
The central challenge for the reform process will be to identify leaders capable of restoring competitiveness to the Super Eagles, the Super Falcons and Nigeria’s domestic game. With the federation facing a leadership vacuum, attention is now focused on how the next phase will be managed and who will be given responsibility for guiding Nigerian football into what has been described as a new era.