Women's Coach of the Year: Oshoala was right - CAF is compensating Morocco after robbing Nigerian coach

The Super Falcons legend has been vindicated as Thursday's controversial CAF Awards sparked fresh allegations of political favouritism over merit.

Asisat Oshoala's warning about Morocco receiving preferential treatment from CAF now looks less like frustration and more like prophecy.

When CAF announced Lamia Boumehdi of Morocco as the 2025 Women's Coach of the Year on Thursday night, Nigerian football fans erupted in fury, not because Boumehdi isn't talented, but because the decision seemed to defy basic logic. The backlash was instant and volcanic.

Justine Madugu, the man who guided Nigeria's Super Falcons to a historic 10th WAFCON title in 2025, was overlooked. The same coach who maintained an unbeaten qualifying run, orchestrated a stunning comeback victory over Morocco in the WAFCON final, and became the only African coach nominated for the 2025 Ballon d'Or coaching award.

Instead, the honour went to Boumehdi, whose TP Mazembe Women finished third in the CAF Women's Champions League.

Third place. Not champions. Third.

"You didn't give it to Madugu, the coach who won the Women's Africa Cup of Nations, but gave it to a coach who finished 3rd in the CAF Champions League," one fan tweeted. "Asisat Oshoala was absolutely right. CAF is just compensating Morocco at this point."

The timing couldn't be worse for CAF's credibility. Just 24 hours earlier, the Super Eagles suffered a controversial semi-final exit to Morocco at AFCON 2025, with Nigerian fans and pundits pointing to questionable officiating decisions that tilted the match in the host nation's favour.

Now this. Another Moroccan win. Another Nigerian snub.

"CAF aren't even beating these Morocco allegations," read one viral comment that captured the mood across social media.

Before the awards ceremony, Super Falcons legend Asisat Oshoala raised concerns that would prove disturbingly accurate. 

After Moroccan players swept both the men's and women's Player of the Year categories last year, with Ghislaine Chebbak controversially beating Nigeria's Esther Okoronkwo and Rasheedat Ajibade despite their superior achievements, Oshoala took to X (formerly Twitter) with a pointed message.

"The big question here is when will this whole CAF compensation to Morocco end?" she wrote. "Awards, tournaments and all… It's getting boring now. We need other countries to step up. Everything concerning African football happens in Morocco; feels like that's the new HQ."

The numbers support her suspicion. Since 2023, Morocco has hosted the U-23 AFCON, the U-17 AFCON, two CAF Awards ceremonies, and the ongoing 2025 African Cup of Nations. The kingdom has effectively become African football's unofficial headquarters and the benefits are flowing accordingly.

Nigerian fans aren't alone in their frustration. Across the continent, observers are questioning whether hosting privileges have translated into award preferentialism.

"I am so sorry, but the Nigerian coach deserves it better," one African fan wrote. "That remontada against Morocco in the finals and the Nigerian coach has been so amazing throughout the tournament."

Another was blunter: "Even Moroccans know she doesn't deserve the award. It's high time we name it MCON—Morocco Cup Of Nations."

The most damning comment pointed to the Ballon d'Or snub: "Nigeria's female coach was nominated 4th place in the FIFA Ballon d'Or, but CAF thinks he doesn't deserve to win this one. CAF aren't beating these allegations."

CAF has yet to respond to the mounting criticism, and silence at this point feels like confirmation. When a governing body's decisions consistently favour one nation, especially the nation bankrolling its tournaments, trust erodes quickly.

Madugu deserved better. Nigerian football deserved better. And most importantly, the credibility of African football awards deserved better.

Asisat Oshoala was right. The compensation to Morocco needs to end before CAF's reputation is damaged beyond repair.