I Look Forward to the Day a Woman Leads the Super Eagles: Grace Towobola Speaks
Grace Towobola is a certified football coach recognized by both the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). Her enthusiasm lies in leveraging sports as a tool for societal transformation and progress. Renowned for her expertise in football-related issues, she champions equality between genders within the sport. With qualifications including a Master's degree in Sports Coaching from the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) in Preston, UK—earned as part of the prestigious Chevening Scholarship program—Towobola has been instrumental in shattering glass ceilings and inspiring Nigerian females to pursue careers as football trainers. In discussions with media representatives, this mentor based in Oyo State highlights various obstacles hindering women’s participation in coaching positions at all levels. Additionally, she underscores the importance of financial backing provided collaboratively by governmental bodies and corporate entities to empower these aspiring leaders. Rotimi Ige discusses her accomplishments along with her aspiration: envisioning a future where a woman will lead the esteemed national team known as the Super Eagles.
Grace Towobola has emerged as an iconic figure beloved and sought after by everyone due to her significant influence in the world of football. She is progressively shattering the glass ceiling and challenging the gender biases faced by female coaches. Beyond her determination, Towobola’s high-quality education has provided her with the necessary skills, knowledge, and techniques to excel in this predominantly male domain, thereby fostering her independence and resilience.
Petite and soft spoken. Obviously, her appearance contradicts her intellectual prowess. And it may not be wrong if she is simply addressed as a smallish one with a giant intellectual acumen. She is focused no doubt, but her consistency and unrelenting zeal to excel and conquer new heights is a proof that she is one of Nigeria’s shining lights to watch in the field of football.
Towobola is an Agricultural-Economics graduate who has become a football coach; however, what makes her story truly exciting is the shift in her career path. This new direction was sparked when she was just 12 years old and was reignited following her initial graduation.
Connected 'Oprah Winfrey motivated me to launch #WithChude podcast' I registered the Fuji Association with CAC and drafted its constitution solo — Wasiu Ayinde VIDEO: Governor Alia names 2Baba as technical advisorGrace, affectionately known, is both a CAF and UEFA certified football coach. As part of her role on the Advisory Board for the Sustained Insight and Impact Initiative—a partnership spearheaded by the IOC, AFD, and Paris 2024 via Sport Impact—she helps pinpoint and finance innovative sporting projects.
In 2022-2023, Grace was awarded a Chevening Scholarship and completed her MSc in Sport Coaching at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) in Preston, UK. As the 2023–2026 IOC Young Leader representing Nigeria, she spearheads the Women’s Football Development Initiative (WFDI). This initiative aims to address disparities between genders in coaching and leadership positions within football. Under this program, Grace offers complimentary football instruction to females aged 18-35 through the Coaches Leadership Training (CLT), along with mentoring adolescent girls enrolled in high schools who aspire to become professional athletes under the ASPIRE Project. To date, WFDI has instructed 85 coaches, reached out to over 2,000 schoolgirls spread across 20 educational institutions, and launched the WFDI Academy offering systematic advancement opportunities for both aspiring players and trainers. At present, among these initiatives, six alumni of the CLT have found employment: three instruct new participants in the upcoming 2025 edition of CLT, whereas another trio serve as academy-level mentors; additionally, twenty female competitors receive sponsored practice sessions alongside equipment grants.
In addition to heading the WFDI, Grace dedicates herself to enhancing football coaching standards in Oyo State through her position as the Training Officer (TO) for the Nigeria Football Coaches Association’s Oyo State chapter. In this capacity, she established the NFCA Oyo Education division and leads a seven-member technical team tasked with developing the NFCA Oyo DNA—a comprehensive ten-year strategy aimed at elevating football coaching levels within the region.
In 2017, Grace embarked on her coaching career as a volunteer at the University of Ilorin, earning her undergraduate degree in Agricultural Economics from the same institution. By 2019, she had advanced to the semifinals of the prestigious WorldRemit Arsenal Coaching Program, which celebrates up-and-coming coaches worldwide. While performing her national youth service in Abia State, she collaborated with Imama Amapakabo at Abia Warriors FC and also functioned as an opposing scout for Coach Fatai Osho at Enyimba FC, focusing particularly on analyzing ES Sétif during their participation in the 2020–2021 CAF Confederation Cup. Subsequently, Grace continued her education by pursuing a master’s degree in Sports Management at the University of Ibadan. There, she interned at Remo Stars Football Club, marking this period notably due to her role as an assistant trainer for the Under-15 squad when they won the NPFL LaLiga U15 championship.
Eager to achieve her ambitions, her time as a Chevening Scholar expanded her understanding of top-tier football systems. During this period, she collaborated with the Preston North End Women’s Football Team, acted as a Foundation Coach for the Manchester United Foundation, and coached UCLan Women’s Football Team B in the 2022/23 BUCS League, all while serving as an advocate for international students at UCLan. Additionally, she engaged in various global sports leadership initiatives through organizations such as the City Football Group, Manchester United, Women in Football (WIF), Downtown in Business, and UCLan itself.
Grace’s exceptional contributions to women’s football development were recognised in 2023, when she received the Gold Award from the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) through the Chevening Scholarship scheme for her outstanding voluntary efforts.
Grace has served as a coach for both men’s and women’s soccer teams in various leagues, including the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL), the British University and College Sports (BUCS) league, and top-tier English clubs. She continues to be an ardent advocate for using sports as a tool for development.
She stays enthusiastic about using sports as a tool for driving social change and development, and she is committed to revolutionizing women's soccer not only in Nigeria but also further abroad.
Grace believes the moment has come to increase public consciousness about the obstacles hindering girls from participating in soccer and reducing female involvement in football coaching positions. Additionally, she aims to draw focus onto WFDI, along with its initiatives such as CLT, ASPIRE, and the Academy, demonstrating how this effort is addressing these issues and emphasizing the significance of WFDI within the broader landscape of football.
She stated, "There is significant activity happening within that sphere, and we require backing from both governmental and corporate entities. Now is an opportune moment to bring the focus of the Nigerian Football Federation, the Nigeria Olympic Committee, and the Nigeria Women’s Football League towards supporting the WFDI."
We require financial support and collaborations to establish WFDI and its initiatives as the premier entity for individuals, corporations, institutions, and governmental bodies to either partner with or sponsor.
Exploring her journey, Grace’s aspiration to become a female coach started when she was just 12 years old. In Africa, where less than one out of every eleven coaches are women, this was a significant challenge. However, with the backing of the IOC's Young Leaders Programme, she is now overcoming these obstacles and fostering empowerment for women aiming to be football coaches in Nigeria via a focused leadership initiative.
“She derived a great deal of energy from her mother,” she stated. Continuing on, “Her mom specialized in Physical Education (PE) and worked as a PE teacher at schools. One time, while strolling down the street, I came across a newspaper lying on the ground. I picked it up and learned about how Sir Alex Ferguson played an instrumental role in assisting Ronaldo secure the Ballon d'Or.”
“That instance, I knew I wanted to become a football coach. My IOC project is called the Women’s Football Development Initiative. WFDI, with three major objectives.”My number one objective is to encourage early career interest amongst girls and women to pursue professional careers in football. “The second is to use football to help girls return to and remain in education. The third is to harness the power of sports to foster active lifestyles amongst girls and women.
What drove me to initiate this specific project was the significant disparities within the education system. Take for example the northeastern part of Nigeria, where merely around 41% of eligible females obtain primary education. The same issue persists in coaching and educational programs; you rarely see many women participating.
I aim to establish a platform for young women to obtain the necessary resources to advance their professional careers in soccer. Today, we are at the stadium where I oversee the physical component of my initiative, which includes coaching leadership development.
Following the leadership training for coaches conducted both in the classroom and on the field, female coaches should return to their teams to aid in the development of women’s football clubs. This contributes to enhancing the overall level of women’s soccer. As for my part, I aim to assist these female coaches in building their self-assurance so they can confidently fulfill their roles as football mentors.
Women’s involvement in soccer is a significant concern. There aren't as many females engaged in the sport as one would hope. Within my region, we have approximately 500 male trainers compared to only seven female counterparts. Additionally, concerns related to gender-specific violence and mistreatment make parents hesitant about allowing their girls to participate in football. Initiatives such as WFDI are tackling these challenges.
In 2023, Towobola established the WFDI with backing from the IOC Young Leaders Programme, offering financial assistance and mentorship to help meet its main goals: encouraging women’s involvement in football and sports overall.
Following a fruitful initial trial period, the WFDI is now striving toward these objectives via a coaching leadership development program, multiple school visitation events aimed at reaching out, as well as continuous professional backing for women who serve as football coaches.
Elaborating on the initiatives of WFDI, she stated, "We promote early engagement in football careers for women and girls via our ASPIRE program; we support girls in returning to and staying in school with our WFDI Academy; and we assist in developing more female football coaches in Nigeria through our Coaches Leadership Training (CLT)."
Through ASPIRE, we go to secondary schools to raise awareness about career opportunities within the football sector and hand out brochures outlining different roles in football along with guidance on entering these fields. Our program offers free Coach Leadership Training for women aged 18 to 35, providing training materials via a blended learning approach across five months followed by a three-month practical internship.”
Towobola’s efforts are already yielding results. According to one of WFDI volunteers, Oluwafunmilayo Abodunrin, ‘The programme has encouraged females from different areas of the world to come together to be able to participate in football and to be able to do sports in general. The positive impact of Grace’s project in my whole life as a volunteer is that it has helped me to meet a lot of people that I have never met before in my life.”
Sodiq Nurudeen mentioned that the project has had a significant impact on him. He remains hopeful that the girls undergoing training will acquire the necessary skillset and education to achieve their goals in the world of football.
Grace may have had the opportunity to mingle with influential figures on an international platform. She confessed that her goals remain intact. "I am driven by ambition. I anticipate a future where a woman will lead the Super Eagles as their coach. This is my ultimate aim: to support and empower women coaches so they can achieve this. Although reaching this point will require time and effort, I am fully committed," she declared.
Provided by Syndigate Media Inc. ( Syndigate.info ).
