Former Nigeria international Mobi Okparaku has urged Eric Chelle to keep his Super Eagles selection process free from outside interference, warning the head coach not to let player agents shape who makes the squad for next month’s Unity Cup in London, Footynaija.com reports.
The concern is not a new one in Nigerian football. Selection controversies have dogged the Super Eagles across multiple coaching cycles, with questions regularly arising about whether certain players earn call-ups on merit or through the influence of powerful representatives who maintain relationships with technical staff.
Okparaku, who represented Nigeria during his playing days, wants Chelle to to be firm from the outset that his process works differently.
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The timing of his message is deliberate. Chelle is days away from naming his squad for the Unity Cup, where Nigeria face Zimbabwe, Jamaica and India in London from May 26 to May 30.
The tournament has been earmarked as a platform for new faces and squad rebuilding ahead of the 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign in September, making the selection decisions that follow all the more significant.
‘Merit must be the only currency’
Speaking to Sports247, Okparaku laid out his expectations.
“Don’t let agents influence you,” he told Chelle directly.
“Selection must be based on merit. The invitation list must not be tampered with. He has already watched the players himself. The best players should always play.”
The reference to Chelle having watched players personally carries weight. The Franco-Malian coach has been unusually hands-on in his scouting approach, travelling across Europe to watch Nigerian-eligible players in their club environments and attending NPFL fixtures to assess domestic talent.
Okparaku’s point is that the groundwork has already been done honestly, and that no external voice should distort the conclusions Chelle has drawn from it.
Nigeria’s Unity Cup squad announcement is imminent. For a fan base that has grown accustomed to selection controversies, Okparaku speaks for many who simply want to see the best eleven players on the pitch, regardless of who their agents are.
