A lecturer at Babcock University and football coach, Folorunso-Ako E. Oladimeji, has called for greater emphasis on practical coaching development as a pathway toward improving football growth and recognition for local coaches in Nigeria.
Speaking with Sports247Naija during the Leadership Summit and Leadership Award organized by the Nigeria Football Coaches Association (NFCA), Ogun State chapter, held on May 13, 2026, at the CIBN Banquet Hall, Babcock University, Ilisan Remo, the academic described the event as a positive and encouraging initiative for football development in the state.
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According to Oladimeji, the summit reflected a promising beginning for football coaching advancement in Ogun State, while emphasizing the need for continuity and consistency in sustaining such initiatives.
“The program is laudable, and I am glad to be part of this. Maintaining the tempo will push the state far. There is always a beginning and it’s not too late. I hope the tempo can be maintained,” he said.
The Public Health lecturer further stressed that future coaching programs should place more focus on practical sessions capable of measuring growth and improving player development over time.
“Subsequently, practical work for all coaches will help to measure more progress in time to help the players,” he added.
Addressing the long-standing issue of inadequate recognition for local coaches in Nigerian football, Oladimeji shared a balanced perspective on the challenges facing indigenous coaching development.
He noted that many successful footballers in Nigeria were initially developed by grassroots and local coaches who often receive little recognition for their contributions to player growth.
“Some finished products — the players — are from the same local coaches that were neglected,” he explained.
The lecturer also pointed to the growing dependence on foreign-based players in the national teams as another factor limiting opportunities for local coaches to gain visibility and recognition.
“About 50 percent of our national team players are from abroad, and it affects the progress of local coaches. In the past, players used the national team to move abroad, but now the reverse is the case,” he stated.
Oladimeji concluded by emphasizing that many coaches struggle financially due to limited opportunities, insisting that practical coaching competence should be prioritized above certificates alone.
“Practical should be engaged more than certificates; that’s the key focus abroad,” he said.
