Nigeria, Jan. 22 -- Senegal's recent dominance in African football carries a lesson that goes far beyond trophies. They have won the Africa Cup of Nations through local leadership, disciplined administration, and a clearly defined national football philosophy. This success was not accidental and it was not driven by sentiment. It was built deliberately through patience, institutional coherence, and sustained trust in indigenous competence.

For Nigeria, the real question is not whether we can replicate Senegal's model, but whether we are willing to build the conditions that made it possible.

Aliou Cisse did not simply guide Senegal to glory. He defined an era. He was the architect of a footballing identity that turned potential into cer...