How does the Confederation of African Football think it is neutral to bring a biased referee to officiate Nigeria's most important match at AFCON 2025, a semi-final against Morocco, and expect everyone to simply accept it? This was not just another fixture. It was the final before the final. It was a match defined by History, Pride and Destiny.
This was our chance to lift Africa's crown again. Yet from the moment Daniel Nii Ayi Laryea of Ghana was announced as centre referee, the tone was set for controversy. A referee from a country with a long, competitive history with Nigeria was suddenly entrusted with determining whether we reached the final of the continent's biggest tournament and the Nigeria Football Federation raised no objection. No protest. No caution. Just silence.
Some CAF apologists will hide behind phrases like experience and neutral panel, but neutrality is not defined by a name on paper. Neutrality is how justice is seen to be done on the pitch. Many Nigerians warned, loudly and early on social media, that this appointment was a red flag. What followed on match night confirmed our worst fears.
