If you have been following Nigerian football since the early ’90s, you should be familiar with the name Barr. Churchill Oliseh.
Since 1995, Oliseh has contributed players to every trophy, medal, and laurel won by Nigeria’s national football teams.
A trained lawyer and serial investor, he decided to carve a niche for himself by representing football players as a legal practitioner.
Through his work, he spotted what many couldn’t see—the business in football management. As an astute businessman, Oliseh traveled to Europe and engaged with European football investors and administrators. His interactions there convinced him that the most powerful and influential position in football development was that of a club president—imagine playing the role of Florentino Pérez or becoming the Pérez of Africa!
That discovery led him to establish what would later become one of Nigeria’s best talent-nurturing clubs—FC Ebiede—in 1993.
Oliseh’s strategy was simple and straightforward: he scouted outstanding young talents from the streets of Lagos and other remote parts of Nigeria. Once he identified a promising player, he placed them in FC Ebiede for training and development.
If the player continued to show promise, he took a calculated risk:
He processed an international passport for them.
He secured a visa.
He booked a flight ticket.
He personally covered all travel expenses and took the player to one of the European clubs where he had built relationships, such as Reggina (Italy), FC Midtjylland (Denmark), and others.
It’s important to note that traveling to Europe didn’t automatically guarantee a contract. Most of the time, these players were only there for trials. Churchill did all of this, hoping that the player would impress and secure a professional contract.
Typically, there was an agreement that a percentage of the player’s salary from their first professional contract would go to Oliseh.
Some of these investments paid off, while others didn’t.
Arguably, the biggest success story from Oliseh’s investment is Obafemi Martins, who made a name for himself at Inter Milan. But Obafemi might never have made it to Italy if Churchill hadn’t taken a gamble on him.
Other notable players who benefited from Oliseh’s investment include:
Ayodele Makinwa (former Atalanta player)
Paul Onuachu
Frank Onyeka
Raphael Onyedika
Ajilore Oluwafemi
Adeshina Lawal
Justice John Erhenede
Akeem Agbetu
Even Joseph Dosu, Nigeria’s Olympic gold medal-winning goalkeeper, got his breakthrough through Churchill.
However, while a good number of players have succeeded through Churchill’s investment, it’s important to note that for every one success story, there are probably 10–20 others who didn’t make it.
And that means all of Churchill’s investment in those players—passports, visas, flights, accommodation—was a total loss.
Yes, you guessed right—Churchill is the elder brother of former Super Eagles midfielder and coach Sunday Oliseh. Apart from Sunday, his other brothers, Azubuike and Egutu, also pursued professional football, thanks to Churchill’s support and connections. But even they weren’t a big hit.
So yes, football management can be very lucrative, but it is also one of the riskiest businesses in the world.
I know this firsthand.
My immediate elder brother (the one who sucked br**st and left for me, now an Italian citizen) is in the business, so I know what I’m talking about.
I have seen how much he has invested in young talents, trying to give them opportunities in Europe. Yet, as of today, none of them have “blown” (made it big).
One day, a few might eventually succeed, and when he starts reaping the rewards, some people will accuse him of exploiting those footballers—just like Churchill was accused back in the day.
Interestingly, this same risk-and-reward dynamic plays out in the music industry as well.
I’ve heard that record labels operate just like football managers.
They invest heavily in artists—not just in their music, but also in their lifestyle.
They cover housing, clothing, cars, and everything in between.
They fund audio and video production, promotions, and distribution—whether or not the music sells.
Even when an artist isn’t making money yet, the label ensures they live like a star to increase their chances of breaking into the industry.
Take Don Jazzy, for example. He invests heavily in his new artists—both the ones you know and the ones you don’t.
Yet, out of all the artists he has signed, only a few, like Rema and Ayra Starr, have made it big.
The rest? They’re still waiting for their moment.
And just like in football, some of them may never “blow,” meaning all the money spent on them would be a complete loss.
The truth is, without record labels, many artists wouldn’t have made it far.
The fame, endorsements, and global recognition they enjoy today are mostly the result of label investments.
Football managers, record labels, and even early-stage startup investors don’t get the credit they deserve.
Yes, these footballers and artists may be talented, but without that initial push, many of today’s global stars would still be struggling nobodies.
Here’s a very practical example:
My elder brother played alongside Obafemi Martins in Orile and at Pepsi Football Academy. He can tell you for a fact that there were many players better than Obafemi, but nobody ever heard of them because they weren’t lucky enough to meet someone like Churchill or catch his attention.
There are plenty of talented footballers, singers, rappers, and dancers on your street.
You know they are good, but most of them will never leave that street because no one is willing to invest in them.
That’s why I believe football managers, record labels, and early-stage investors deserve more respect.
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