Labour Party’s Peter Obi was denied access to Nigeria’s national football team after their penalty shootout victory against Jamaica at the Unity Cup final held at Brentford Community Stadium, London, despite loud cheers from supporters and an invitation by team officials.
This was revealed by media executive Maazi Ezeoke, who accompanied Obi to both the London Business School and the Unity Cup match. Ezeoke recounted the incident on his official X account on Wednesday, describing how politics overshadowed a moment that should have united Nigerians.
Prior to the match, Obi had engaged in a fireside chat with the Africa Business Club at London Business School. The session, themed “From Promise to Prosperity: Charting Africa’s Development with Political Will and Vision,” was described by Ezeoke as a “powerful and inspiring session with Q & A.”
Following the event, they proceeded to the stadium to support the national team. During the match, which ended 2-2 before heading into penalties, Obi drew significant attention from the mostly youthful Nigerian crowd.
“As it got intense, the crowd, mostly young Nigerians, started chanting: ‘Obi! Obi! Obi! Obi!’ Some players began noticing him, too,” Ezeoke wrote.
Sensing he was becoming a distraction, Obi reportedly stepped back to avoid taking focus away from the players. However, after Nigeria’s win, some officials invited him for a post-match photograph with the team, a gesture that was abruptly reversed.
“True to form, he politely asked them to get clearance from the officials. Suddenly, everything changed. One of the officials, after a phone call, returned with a hardened face and shouted, ‘He is not allowed to take pictures with the team!” Ezeoke posted.
According to Ezeoke, one determined player attempted to greet Obi regardless but was immediately stopped.
“From the pitch, a voice thundered: ‘You have been told not to greet him!’ Security physically blocked the player from reaching Mr. Obi,” he added.
The player, visibly angered, reportedly walked straight off the pitch to the dressing room. Efforts to visit the team afterward were also shut down by officials, allegedly under the same directive.
Despite the cold treatment by officials, Obi remained a center of attention. “Meanwhile, both Nigerian and Jamaican fans continued swarming Mr. Obi for photos. They didn’t care about politics, only the man they respect,” Ezeoke noted.
The development has sparked outrage among Obi’s supporters online, with many condemning what they describe as blatant political discrimination even in a sporting context.
Reflecting on the incident, Ezeoke wrote, “Even in football, a sport meant to unite us, politics has been weaponized. That moment deepened my resolve: In 2027, we must build a country where no one is silenced based on party affiliation. A nation where everyone is equal.”
The snub comes amid an increasingly hostile political atmosphere under Tinubu’s government, with critics alleging widespread efforts to sideline opposition voices like Peter Obi, even in non-political spaces.
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