Founder of the One Love Family, SatGuru Maharaj Ji, has renewed his call on the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to appoint a Nigerian as head coach of the Super Eagles, insisting that his position is grounded in principle rather than emotion or sentiment.
In a statement released on Friday, Maharaj Ji said his advocacy aligns with what he described as an “ongoing and unstoppable reset” across the African continent, following what he termed the expiration of long-standing European dominance in global affairs. According to him, Nigeria’s football administration must reflect this broader continental awakening by entrusting the national team to indigenous leadership.
He argued that appointing a Nigerian coach is essential if the country genuinely seeks sustained excellence at the highest levels of international football.
Maharaj Ji warned the NFF against “falling for old games,” urging the federation to move away from its historical preference for foreign technical advisers.
Beyond the appointment itself, the One Love Family founder stressed that any Nigerian appointed as Super Eagles head coach must be granted the same remuneration, authority, and institutional support traditionally extended to European coaches engaged by the NFF. He maintained that parity in pay and privileges is critical to ensuring professionalism and accountability.
“Irrespective of the challenges that the Nigerian coach may experience on the job, he must not be sacked,” Maharaj Ji said. “Every new era, every fresh order, has its natural teething stage.”
He further contended that Nigeria, and Africa at large, must stop the “patronage of manipulative European intelligence,” linking the issue to deeper historical and structural imbalances. According to him, correcting these imbalances is part of a broader effort to uphold human rights, freedom, and liberty.
Maharaj Ji also suggested that the NFF consider appointing a former Super Eagles star with international exposure and deep understanding of Nigerian football culture. He listed several ex-internationals he believes are qualified for the role, including Austin Jay-Jay Okocha, Daniel Amokachi, Emmanuel Amunike, and Fani Amun.
The call comes amid recurring debates over the best technical direction for Nigeria’s senior national team, as fans and stakeholders continue to weigh the merits of foreign expertise against local knowledge and long-term capacity building within the domestic football system.