Ndubuoke slams ‘Ponzi scheme’ sports administration

Ndubuoke was particularly critical of the legal and structural foundations of Nigeria’s sports bodies. He questioned the legitimacy of existing institutions, including the National Sports Commission (NSC) and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), insisting that due process has been sidelined.

“Sports administration today is like a Ponzi scheme,” Ndubuoke declared. “It is a conduit pipe to siphon public funds without building sustainable development pathways.” He further cautioned that while President Bola Tinubu has shown a personal love for sports, the country risks wasting this opportunity without radical structural reform.

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The former Heartland FC Chairman challenged journalists to stop being "pawns" in the hands of administrators and agents. He linked the decline of the national teams—specifically the reliance on "questionable" foreign-based players—to a media that refuses to report the truth.

“The Nigerian sporting press has deteriorated to an abysmal level,” Ndubuoke noted. “We create imaginary superstars and focus excessively on administrators instead of athletes. We know these things, yet we refuse to report them.”

Addressing the ethical dilemma faced by reporters, Ndubuoke argued that many practitioners confuse patriotism with silence. He noted that while government quarters often view investigative reporting as disloyalty, a journalist’s first duty is to the truth.

“If you insist on accuracy, you may be labelled unpatriotic,” he said. “But true patriotism is not blind loyalty. We must tell the truth even when it is inconvenient. That is how we contribute to nation-building.”

On the domestic front, Ndubuoke defended Heartland FC coach Emmanuel Amuneke, blaming the club’s current struggles on a lack of administrative support. He argued that the Imo Government failed to appoint a management "face" to protect the technical crew from external politics.

“Without that support structure, it becomes difficult for him to succeed,” Ndubuoke remarked, adding that those who believe in the former African Footballer of the Year are unhappy with the current situation.