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The decline of football development in Oyo State has reached a point where silence can no longer be an option.
A state that was once proud to be among Nigeria’s leading football nurseries, producing outstanding players who represented the Super Eagles and excelled at leading clubs in Nigeria, Africa and Europe, now appears to be struggling to translate its rich football heritage into a sustainable development framework.
The situation calls for urgent introspection by the Oyo State Football Association (OYSFA), Oyo State Government, Nigerian Football Coaches Association, Oyo State Chapter and all stakeholders entrusted with the development of the game.
If existing leadership structures cannot provide a clear and measurable roadmap for grassroots development, talent identification, coach development, competitions, player welfare and institutional growth, then the issue of new ideas and, where necessary, new leadership must be addressed.
OYSFA must answer the difficult questions
For the Oyo State Football Association, the scrutiny is particularly important because it is expected to serve as the main coordinating and regulatory body for football in the state.
Beyond the annual Federation Cup, there should be a visible and appropriately structured calendar of sanctioned competitions, grassroots programmes, coaching courses, referee development initiatives, medical and safeguarding standards, club awareness programs and deliberate talent identification across all local government areas of the state.
The abundance of grassroots tournaments organized by politicians, philanthropists, businesses, footballers and community groups should be a plus. However, the proliferation of competitions should not be confused with a genuine development of football.
Concerns about the safety and well-being of young players, including deaths reported during football activities in Ogbomoso, should serve as a painful reminder that development cannot be measured simply by the number of tournaments held.
Player safety, qualified medical personnel, emergency response plans, appropriate playing facilities and competent officiating should be non-negotiable.
OYSFA must therefore be prepared to demonstrate what it has achieved, what has not worked and, most importantly, what it intends to do differently.
The Federation Cup needs a new direction
The contrast with the evolution of other federated states also deserves attention.
The efforts of the Lagos State Football Association around the promotion of its 2026 Federation Cup, including public engagement, presentation activities and capacity building initiatives, offer an example of how a state association can create greater visibility and professionalism around its flagship competition.
Oyo can develop a model that reflects its own circumstances and football culture. What it cannot afford is to allow its core state competence to simply become an annual obligation with limited commercial visibility, inadequate stakeholder engagement and little long-term impact.
With over 150 affiliated clubs within the Oyo football family, it is difficult to understand why only a handful of teams participate in the Federation Cup.
Instead of simply blaming the clubs that choose not to participate, the association should ask itself a more important question: why has the competition failed to be attractive, competitive and beneficial enough for the clubs?
This question should lead to a serious review of sponsorship, prize money, organisation, advertising, club support and competition structure.
Coaches should also look in the mirror
The coaching community must accept its share of responsibility.
Coaches are not simply technical staff who take charge of teams on match days. They are custodians of player development and should be among the strongest advocates for proper structures, continuing education and professional standards.
The Oyo State chapter of the coaching association should be more visible and proactive in organizing seminars, mentoring young coaches, promoting modern coaching methodologies and promoting better avenues of well-being and development.
It should not be enough for coaches to get appointments or participate in competitions. There must be a collective commitment to raise the technical level of football throughout the state.
If coaches remain silent when the system fails young players, they become part of the problem.
The government cannot avoid its responsibility
Nor can the Oyo State Government absolve itself of responsibility.
Government investment in sporting infrastructure must translate into functional facilities that athletes, clubs and communities can actually use.
Concerns surrounding the multi-billion naira stadium rehabilitation programme, Shooting Stars’ inability to host continental matches in Ibadan, delays affecting facilities in different parts of the state and Crown FC’s repeated need to play away from Ogbomoso raise legitimate questions about planning, execution, maintenance and accountability.
A stadium is not simply a construction project or a political achievement to be unveiled with fanfare. It is the football infrastructure that should support clubs, develop athletes, generate economic activity and provide communities with quality sporting facilities.
Therefore, every naira committed to sports infrastructure should produce a measurable result.
Oyo Football needs a plan, not more promises
This is not a call to destroy Oyo football. It is a call to rescue him.
The state’s football history is too rich to be reduced to nostalgia, occasional tournaments and ceremonial activities.
Oyo needs a comprehensive football development plan involving the government, OYSFA, coaches, referees, clubs, schools, former internationals, private investors, corporate organizations and grassroots stakeholders.
Such a plan should establish clear and measurable objectives for competitions, infrastructure, player welfare, coach training, sponsorship, school sports and talent progression.
There must also be a clear pathway showing how a young, talented player from a local community can progress from grassroots football to a recognized club, professional football and ultimately the national team.
It is time for OYSFA leadership to be held accountable
The current leadership of Oyo FA, under the chairmanship of HRM Oba Dr. James Oluyemi Odeniran, should be willing to subject its tenure to honest evaluation.
If the association can demonstrate credible achievements and present a compelling reform agenda, it should do so openly to the football community.
But if the association has exhausted its ideas, lost the trust of key stakeholders, and cannot offer a compelling path for the future, then the responsible path may be to allow new leadership and new ideas to emerge.
The same standard should be applied to all stakeholders, including government officials and the coaches association.
Leadership should not be about holding positions. It should be about getting results.
Oyo Football cannot afford another season of excuses
Oyo football does not need another season of excuses. You need responsibility, professionalism, investment, competence and measurable action.
The state’s football heritage should not be celebrated simply by remembering former stars. It should be protected by creating an environment capable of producing the next generation of stars.
The question is no longer whether something should change.
The real question is: who is prepared to lead that change and in what timeframe?
