With speculation linking nominal Super Eagles captain Ahmed Musa to a return to Kano Pillars following a six-month absence from the national team, Nigerian football legend Segun Odegbami has expressed concerns about the risks associated with a move back to the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).
The 31-year-old has been without a club since February 2024, having terminated his contract with Turkish side Sivasspor due to unpaid wages.
His uncertain future was recently highlighted by a cryptic tweet from Musa himself, sparking excitement among Nigerian football fans and hinting at a potential return to the domestic league.
Musa, it is worth noting, played for Kano Pillars during the 2009/10 season, where he set a league record by scoring 18 goals in 25 matches, contributing to the team's second-place finish.
Odegbami: Ahmed Musa's NPFL return doomed
In his column for Complete Sports, Odegbami pointed out that, while this move could serve as a platform for Ahmed Musa to reclaim his place in the Super Eagles for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco, history shows that few players have successfully returned to the NPFL and made a significant impact.
“He is taking a big risk,” Odegbami said. “Most before him did not take that path. Few players in Nigeria’s football history have returned to the NPFL to end their careers, and probably none succeeded in leaving a mark.”
Despite being Nigeria’s most capped player and the top scorer in World Cup history for the nation, Musa has seen his role within the national team diminish in recent years, primarily due to the emergence of talents like Samuel Chukwueze and Moses Simon.
He did not participate in any of Nigeria’s matches during the last Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), despite serving as the team's captain.
Furthermore, he has not received a call-up for Nigeria's subsequent matches, including friendly encounters, the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, and the 2025 AFCON qualifiers.
