Former Super Eagles captain, Jay Jay Okocha, has openly admitted that his tenure as the chairman of the Delta State Football Association (DSFA) was a failure.
Reflecting on his time in the role, Okocha acknowledged that he “achieved nothing” during his leadership and walked away from the position prematurely.
In an interview with Sports Zone on Lagos Talks FM, Okocha explained that his expectations of the role were not met, and he found the environment and people around him difficult to work with.
He confessed that he did not complete his tenure as DSFA chairman, opting to leave because the situation was not conducive for him to succeed.
“I failed woefully as Delta FA chairman. I didn’t complete my tenure; I walked away. What I saw there was not what I expected. The place was not conducive for me to work. The people I worked with had different opinions, and the best thing for me to do was to walk away,” Okocha said during the interview.
He also shared his thoughts on the challenges he faced, particularly in dealing with corruption and differing motives within the football administration.
“A lot of things must be in place because I do not think the structure would allow people like us to succeed. That is the honest truth. The level of corruption in all sectors of Nigeria is too much. And if you are always around people who have their own motives, it will not work,” he added.
Okocha, who was appointed chairman of the DSFA in 2015, was succeeded by Kenneth Nwaomucha in 2020.
Despite his disappointment with his time at the helm of the state football body, Okocha’s candid reflection provides a rare insight into the challenges faced by administrators in Nigerian football.