Nigeria’s miracle mindset has failed again, By Sunday Ogidigbo
The question then is this: How long will Nigeria continue to outsource talent and depend on “miracles”? Until we abandon the last-minute miracle mindset and embrace planning, discipline, and science, our football — and indeed all our sports — will continue to oscillate between flashes of brilliance and long stretches of mediocrity.
After a rollercoaster series of World Cup qualifiers, Nigeria has missed out on direct qualification, scraping through only to the playoffs. The hope, the prayers, and the last-minute expectations did not deliver the automatic passage many fans longed for. Yet the pattern is familiar: a reliance on miracles rather than planning, discipline, and structured development.
It is telling that one of the most popular songs of the Super Eagles’ fan club is, “He is a miracle-working God, He is Alpha and Omega, He is a miracle-working God.” This song captures our national disposition: a belief that miracles, rather than meticulous planning, discipline, and science, will deliver success. While faith is a strength, it cannot substitute for strategy, preparation, and systematic development.
But sports, like governance, is not run by miracles—it is run by science. Leading sporting nations invest in sports science, data analysis, youth academies, and structured talent pipelines. Nigeria, on the other hand, spiritualises outcomes. Our first Olympic gold medal in Atlanta 1996 was described as a miracle. The incredible 4–3 comeback win over the USSR at the 1989 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, is still remembered as the “Dammam Miracle.” This “miracle mindset” blinds us to the fact that Nigeria’s most consistent sporting achievements came when there was a system, discipline, and long-term planning.
Case in Point: 1985 in China. When Nigeria won the inaugural FIFA U-16 World Championship (now U-17) in Beijing, defeating West Germany 2–0 in the final, the victory was not a miracle. It was the fruit of structured youth competitions. Many of those Golden Eaglets, led by captain Nduka Ugbade and coached by Sebastine Brodericks-Imasuen, were discovered through school and youth tournaments under the Youth Sports Federation of Nigeria (YSFON). That system of secondary school competitions produced Jonathan Akpoborie, Victor Igbinoba, and others who stunned the world.
Contrast that era with today, where grassroots school competitions have all but collapsed. Instead of producing talent locally, Nigeria now relies heavily on the diaspora. The success of the Super Falcons, and the progress we have recorded in male and female basketball, are not products of Nigeria’s system. They are the result of talents developed in the United States and Europe, who later opt to represent Nigeria. In other words, we are reaping from other people’s investment in sports science and grassroots development.
This sports “miracle mindset” is not isolated — it mirrors our governance culture. Just as we pray for last-minute victories on the pitch, we also pray for last-minute turnarounds in our economy, education, and health systems. We spiritualise what other nations systematise. Instead of long-term planning, we gamble on divine intervention at the 90th minute. And just as in sports, the results are predictable: fleeting moments of brilliance, overshadowed by long stretches of mediocrity.
If Nigeria is to learn, we must look outward. Germany rebuilt its football after the humiliation of Euro 2000 by investing massively in youth academies, sports science, and coaching certification. Less than 14 years later, they won the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, playing with precision, strength, and tactical intelligence. Japan, humiliated in the 1964 Olympics as hosts, went back to the drawing board, poured resources into grassroots football, and by the 1990s had become a respected footballing nation, consistently qualifying for World Cups.
Even within Africa, Senegal’s steady rise is not a miracle. It is the product of investments in academies like Diambars and Génération Foot, which have consistently produced players for both European leagues and the national team. Today, Senegal is Africa’s highest-ranked team, a continental powerhouse, and an example of what structure, discipline, and foresight can deliver.
Meanwhile, in Nigeria, we still prefer to sing songs about miracles, hoping that one brilliant dribble, one audacious long-range shot, or one penalty save will cover up decades of neglect and failure. This last-minute miracle dependence must end. The playoffs should not be a consolation; they should be a call to action — a wake-up call for serious systemic reform and long-term investment.
This sports “miracle mindset” is not isolated — it mirrors our governance culture. Just as we pray for last-minute victories on the pitch, we also pray for last-minute turnarounds in our economy, education, and health systems. We spiritualise what other nations systematise. Instead of long-term planning, we gamble on divine intervention at the 90th minute. And just as in sports, the results are predictable: fleeting moments of brilliance, overshadowed by long stretches of mediocrity.
The way forward is clear but uncomfortable. We must rebuild a deliberate structure for youth development, coaching, facilities, and sports science. Nigeria needs to revive inter-school competitions at both primary and secondary levels, invest in certified coaching at the grassroots, and integrate sports science into athlete development. Stadiums and training pitches must stop being campaign promises and start becoming realities. The private sector must be incentivised to invest in sports academies.
It is time for a paradigm shift. Faith is important, but faith without action, strategy, and preparation is insufficient. Nigeria can no longer rely on miracles to secure victories that should be the product of discipline, investment, and intelligent planning. The Super Eagles’ journey is a mirror for the nation: if we do not plan and build systematically, we will continue to stumble despite immense talent.
Diaspora talent will always be welcome, but Nigeria cannot continue outsourcing its future to other nations’ systems. A country of over 200 million people has no excuse for not producing its own stars. We need our own systems that can consistently churn out athletes ready to compete with the world’s best.
The question then is this: How long will Nigeria continue to outsource talent and depend on “miracles”? Until we abandon the last-minute miracle mindset and embrace planning, discipline, and science, our football — and indeed all our sports — will continue to oscillate between flashes of brilliance and long stretches of mediocrity.
Nations that dominate sports are not praying for miracles; they are planning for medals. Nigeria must choose whether to remain the world’s choir of miracle songs or to finally become a factory of sporting excellence. The playoffs are not a guarantee — they are a warning. The world will not wait for us to catch up.
It is time for a paradigm shift. Faith is important, but faith without action, strategy, and preparation is insufficient. Nigeria can no longer rely on miracles to secure victories that should be the product of discipline, investment, and intelligent planning. The Super Eagles’ journey is a mirror for the nation: if we do not plan and build systematically, we will continue to stumble despite immense talent. The playoffs are an opportunity — not a fallback — to prove that structured systems can replace miracles as the foundation of national success.
Sunday Ogidigbo is Senior Pastor of Holyhill Church, Abuja. He writes on faith, leadership, and the intersection of spirituality and culture. X/Instagram/Facebook: @SOgidigbo. Email: [email protected]