Mikel’s Influence in Super Eagles Squad Questioned by Onazi

Former Super Eagles midfielder Ogenyi Onazi has openly alleged that John Obi Mikel wielded excessive authority within Nigeria’s national team during his playing era, claiming such influence affected player invitations.

Onazi made the disclosure during an appearance on the Home Turf podcast, where he explained that Mikel’s status went beyond leadership duties and extended into areas that could sway squad selection decisions.

While acknowledging Mikel’s seniority and achievements, the former Lazio midfielder stressed that he did not always agree with how that authority was exercised within the team environment.

According to Onazi, Mikel’s voice carried enormous weight in the Super Eagles dressing room, to the extent that some players were reportedly excluded based on his opinions rather than purely football considerations.

“Mikel Obi was too influential when he was in the Super Eagles,” Onazi stated.

He further explained that certain players missed out on national team invitations due to this influence, adding that although he respected Mikel as a senior figure, there were actions he personally disagreed with.

“When Mikel was playing, there were some players because of his influence, he made for them not be invited to the Super Eagles. He is my senior man, but there are things he did that I didn’t like.”

Onazi specifically referenced Tony Nwakaeme as one of the affected players. He revealed that Mikel himself reportedly acknowledged this situation during a chance meeting in Istanbul.

According to Onazi, Mikel admitted his role during a restaurant encounter and offered an apology to Nwakaeme, describing the incident as only one example among several similar cases.

This revelation has reignited discussions surrounding Nwakaeme’s limited international involvement despite a strong club résumé.

The winger earned just one Super Eagles cap, even though he maintained consistent performances across European leagues for more than a decade.

Nwakaeme’s club journey highlights remarkable resilience and steady growth. After early stints in Scandinavian and Romanian football, he rose to prominence in Israel, where he became a league champion with Hapoel Be’er Sheva and was named Israeli League Player of the Year in 2017.

His transfer to Trabzonspor in 2018 further elevated his profile. In Turkey, he emerged as one of the club’s most decisive attackers and a firm fan favourite, contributing significantly to domestic success.

Despite these achievements, his Nigeria career remained limited to a solitary appearance — a 1–1 World Cup qualifying draw against Algeria in November 2017. By April 2019, Nwakaeme publicly expressed his belief that he deserved additional chances at international level.

Onazi’s comments suggest that the gap between Nwakaeme’s club excellence and international absence may not have been driven solely by tactical decisions.

The broader context of this issue lies in the commanding presence Mikel maintained within the Super Eagles following the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations triumph. As captain of that victorious squad and a Champions League winner with Chelsea, Mikel held unmatched authority within the team structure for many years.

During his club career, Mikel secured two Premier League titles, four FA Cups, and the UEFA Champions League across an eleven-year spell at Stamford Bridge. On the international stage, he lifted AFCON in 2013, won Olympic bronze in 2016, and represented Nigeria at two FIFA World Cups and five AFCON tournaments.

Onazi himself was a central figure during that era, featuring in every knockout match of Nigeria’s AFCON 2013 campaign and starting all four matches at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, underlining his proximity to the events he described.