Remo Stars Football Club owner Kunle Soname has launched a scathing critique of officiating in the Nigerian Professional Football League, accusing referees of widespread corruption and warning that the domestic game will remain mediocre unless drastic reforms are implemented.
Speaking recently in Ikenne, Soname urged the Nigeria Football Federation to flush out what he called “bad eggs” in the league system and carry out a total overhaul of the Referees’ Appointment Committee.
He argued that poor and biased officiating has become a systemic issue undermining the credibility of Nigerian football.
“For 17 years, not a single Nigerian referee has been selected to officiate at the Africa Cup of Nations, while referees from smaller footballing nations have consistently earned these appointments,” Soname noted. “The uncomfortable reason is clear: the standard of officiating in our domestic league is fundamentally compromised.”
The club owner, who stressed he was speaking as a stakeholder who has invested heavily in Nigerian football, presented video evidence from five different NPFL matches to illustrate what he described as game-altering errors. These included unawarded penalties, ignored fouls leading to goals, and a legitimate goal wrongly disallowed in a match between Enugu Rangers and Rivers United.
Soname warned that unless the NFF takes urgent and transparent action to curb what he termed the “recklessness” of officials, the league will continue to be plagued by controversies that deter investment, fan engagement, and competitive integrity.
