Hakeem Busari: We still have them here

Eleven years is a long time to wait for a country that once dominated world youth football. Eleven years of near misses, failed qualifications, rebuilding efforts and endless questions about what went wrong. The last time Nigeria celebrated a FIFA youth World Cup triumph was in 2015, when Emmanuel Amunike led the Golden Eaglets to victory at the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Chile.

That team defeated Mali 2-0 in the final, with Victor Osimhen scoring a record 10 goals to claim the Golden Boot, while Kelechi Nwakali emerged as the tournament’s best player, winning the Golden Ball. For eleven years, that achievement remained Nigeria’s last taste of glory on the world stage at that level.

Then came Hakeem Busari and the Flamingos, and Nigeria found its way back to the summit of world youth football.

On November 7, 2026, in Rabat, Morocco, Nigeria’s U-17 women’s team defeated Japan 2-1 in the final of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, winning the country’s first-ever title in the competition and becoming the first African nation to achieve the feat.

The victory did more than end an eleven-year wait for another youth World Cup triumph. It rekindled national pride and reminded Nigerians of a familiar truth: when the right people are given the opportunity, support and confidence, our country has the talent and determination to compete with the very best.

At the centre of this historic achievement is a coach whose journey is as inspiring as the triumph itself.

Busari is no overnight success. He was an assistant coach to the late Yemi Tella when Nigeria won the FIFA U-17 World Cup in South Korea in 2007. Thereafter, he continued to build his coaching career through various assignments with clubs and teams, including Shooting Stars, Gateway United, JSP FC, Bayelsa Queens and Pacesetter Queens of Ibadan.

He waited, learned, served and continued to improve himself. When the opportunity finally came on April 2, 2026, he was ready to take his chance. Despite the controversy that greeted his appointment, Busari demonstrated within seven months that competence, preparation and commitment matter more than noise and public scepticism.

His educational and professional background also offers an important lesson. A graduate of Lead City University, where he obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical and Health Education in 2012, Busari began his coaching education at the National Institute for Sports (NIS), Lagos, in 1999. He returned between 2003 and 2006 to complete higher-level coaching programmes.

He did not wait for the system to develop him. He took responsibility for his own development.

This is a lesson Nigerian football must embrace, particularly among local coaches. Self-development is not a waste of time; it is an investment in future opportunities. Busari pursued formal education, undertook coaching courses and continued learning, even when recognition and opportunities were not forthcoming.

When the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) eventually entrusted him with the Flamingos, he was not starting from the scratch. He had spent years preparing for that moment.

His success should therefore serve as a wake-up call to the NFF, the Football Coaches Association of Africa, Nigeria (FCAAN), the National Institute for Sports and other football stakeholders.

 There must be deliberate and sustained investment in the training and development of indigenous coaches.

Refresher courses, modern coaching techniques, sports psychology, youth development, leadership training and international exposure should become regular features of our football development programmes. Nigerian coaches must also be encouraged to read, study, travel and continually update their knowledge.

We have the raw talents. What we need is a functional system that supports continuous professional development.

Another important lesson from Busari’s achievement is the value of merit-based selection.

Reports surrounding his time with the Flamingos suggest that he resisted alleged attempts to influence his technical decisions through financial inducements in exchange for selecting certain players. Such allegations must be treated responsibly, but the broader principle remains important: national team selection must be based on ability, discipline, character and performance, not financial considerations, personal connections or political influence.

For a coach who had waited so long for an opportunity of this magnitude, the pressure to compromise could have been enormous. Yet, the principle of putting the national interest first must always prevail.

The result was a team built on talent, discipline and collective purpose. No godfather, no favouritism, no special privileges. Just football and the determination to represent the country.

The Flamingos’ journey to the title further demonstrated the importance of patience, tactical preparation and sound man-management.

They began their campaign with a 2-1 defeat to Poland, a result that could easily have unsettled a less confident team. But Busari kept faith with his players, worked on their weaknesses and encouraged them to learn from their mistakes.

The response was remarkable. Nigeria recovered to defeat Puerto Rico, defending champions North Korea, Mexico, Venezuela and Brazil, whom they beat 3-1 in the semi-final, before overcoming Japan 2-1 in the final.

That journey was not simply a product of luck. It reflected preparation, resilience, tactical discipline and belief.

Throughout the competition, the girls displayed the familiar Nigerian spirit: the refusal to surrender after setbacks, the courage to fight for every ball and the determination to rise when the odds appear unfavourable. They played with confidence, enthusiasm and a sense of national pride that Nigerians have come to associate with our greatest football achievements.

But perhaps Busari’s greatest achievement was not tactical. It was human.

These are young girls, aged between 15 and 17, competing far away from home under the enormous pressure of a World Cup tournament. Managing players at that age requires more than technical knowledge. It requires patience, emotional intelligence, understanding and a genuine commitment to their welfare.

Busari appears to have understood that responsibility. Rather than allowing fear and intimidation to define his relationship with the players, he created an environment in which they could express themselves, learn from mistakes and play with confidence and discipline.

He understood the importance of balancing discipline with encouragement and authority with compassion.

This is an important lesson for coaches working with young players across Nigeria. Under-17 footballers are minors, not fully developed adults. They need guidance, protection, patience and encouragement. Their psychological and emotional well-being must be treated as seriously as their technical and physical development.

A good youth coach does not merely produce footballers; he helps develop responsible, confident and well-rounded young people.

Busari’s success should also earn him greater responsibility within Nigeria’s youth football development structure. His experience, from serving as an assistant coach in 2007 to becoming a world champion as a head coach in 2026, should be documented and shared with other Nigerian coaches.

He should be encouraged to contribute to coaching education, talent identification, player development and the mentoring of younger coaches. This victory must become the beginning of a sustainable development programme, not just another occasion for celebration and ceremonial recognition.

Indeed, the NFF must understand that when the right appointments are made and local coaches receive the necessary support, they can deliver results at the highest level.

There is a special satisfaction in seeing a Nigerian coach conquer the world. A coach trained in Lagos, educated at Lead City University, developed through the Nigerian football system and tested in the domestic game has demonstrated that local expertise deserves genuine recognition.

This is not an argument against foreign coaches. Rather, it is a reminder that Nigeria must not overlook the competence and potential of its own people.

However, while celebrating Busari and his players, the NFF must resist the temptation to rush these young champions into senior international football.

This is a particularly important appeal.

Nigeria has, on several occasions, exposed promising young footballers to the demands of senior football too early.

 The consequences can include excessive pressure, physical burnout, injuries and the disruption of their education and personal development.

These girls have conquered the world at U-17 level. They should now be allowed to develop progressively, with opportunities to compete at the U-20 level before making the transition to the Super Falcons when they are physically, mentally and technically ready.

Let them grow. Let them learn. Let them make mistakes. Let them complete their education and mature as individuals and footballers.

The Super Falcons will still be there, and international opportunities will continue to come. But childhood cannot be recovered once it is lost.

The responsibility of the football authorities is not simply to produce champions; it is to protect and nurture the children entrusted to their care. If we manage this generation properly, Nigeria could build a formidable women’s football team capable of dominating the continent and competing consistently at the highest international level for years to come.

From Emmanuel Amunike in 2015 to Hakeem Busari in 2026, the message is unmistakable: Nigeria still has the coaches, the players and the capacity to conquer the world.

What is often missing is the right environment, the right appointments, merit-based selection and sustained investment in development.

Now,Busari has shown that Nigerian coaches can deliver when given the opportunity. The Flamingos have demonstrated that Nigerian players can rise above setbacks and compete with the best. Their triumph should therefore inspire a new commitment to rebuilding our football structures, developing local coaching talent and protecting the next generation of players.

We must not waste this moment.

Invest in our indigenous coaches. Give Busari greater responsibility.

 Institutionalized merit in national team selection. Protect the girls and allow them to grow at their own pace.

Nigeria does not have to wait for another eleven years to celebrate another world youth football triumph.

We still have the coaches. We still have the players. We still have the talent. Most importantly, we still have them here.

Congratulations, Coach Hakeem Busari, and congratulations to the Flamingoes