How Tinubu Can Finish What MKO Abiola Started – Ex-Presidential Aide
Political commentator and former presidential aide, Reno Omokri, has urged President Bola Tinubu to spearhead a revival of Nigeria’s local football league.
He argued that the dominance of European football has drained billions from the Nigerian economy.
In a statement on social media, Omokri lamented that many Nigerians are more familiar with Manchester United, Real Madrid, and other European clubs than their own country’s affairs.
He attributed this obsession to the decline of the Nigerian Premier Football League, which he linked to the 1998 death of Chief MKO Abiola—once a major patron of local football.
To address this, Omokri proposed that Tinubu take the lead by publicly attending and supporting local matches, wearing jerseys of teams like Enyimba and Kano Pillars.
According to him, such actions would ignite renewed interest, leading to a resurgence in Nigeria’s football culture.
He further recommended an executive order banning foreign sports betting apps and compelling local betting firms to invest 35% of their profits into developing Nigeria’s football league.
This, he argued, could transform the NPFL into a global attraction, potentially generating billions of dollars in revenue.
Omokri concluded by asserting that Tinubu has a historic opportunity to complete what Abiola started by making Nigeria’s football industry self-sufficient and globally competitive.
