Musa, 28, returned to his homeland on Tuesday evening, signing a one-year contract with Kano Pillars for the remainder of the Nigeria Professional Football League season 2020/21.
The Super Eagles captain has revealed why he returned home after leaving Al Nassr of Saudi Arabia in October last year.
“Anything that improves the image of Nigerian football is something that I strive to embark on and Kano Pillars holds a special place in my heart,” Musa told BBC Sport Africa following the move.
“It’s the team that helped me become the professional footballer I am today, so this is more than just football but a very strong bond.”
It is welcome news not only to the football fans in the country, but also for those who engage in soccer betting in Africa.
Musa, who has nearly 100 caps for Nigeria, was linked with a return to the Premier League with West Bromwich Albion during the January transfer window, but the deal fell through.
Musa’s contract with the NPFL team, however, contains a clause that allows him to leave if he finds a club in Europe, where he previously played for clubs in Russia, the Netherlands, and England.
Musa made his name at Kano Pillars, where he topped the league’s scoring charts with 18 strikes in the 2009-10 season before heading to Europe.
He has 96 caps for the Super Eagles, the most recent of which was a win over Lesotho in African Cup of Nations qualifying last month.
Shehu Sani, a former Nigerian senator and human rights activist, has supported Musa’s decision to return to his homeland.
Sani, the President of the Civil Rights Congress of Nigeria (CRCN), believes Musa’s move to Pillars would benefit the NPFL. Nigeria Premier League matches are among the games featured on Betway and other leading bookmakers in Africa.
“Ahmed Musa’s return to Kano Pillars is one of the best strategies to improve and attract interest in our local football teams and national league,” tweeted Sani.
“After global, come local. It’s better than hanging and idling in Europe. There will always be a place for you at home.”
Before he could play for the NPFL team outside Sani Abacha Stadium, the Super Eagles captain gave a specific condition.
For purposes of his safety, Ahmed Musa can only travel to Kano Pillars’ away games by plane, according to club chairman Surajo Yahaya. Kano Pillars will play Warri Wolves and Plateau United on the road on April 27 and May 2, respectively, before hosting Enyimba three days later.
Given Yahaya’s comment, Musa may not be eligible for the Sai Masu Gida until their home game against the Peoples Elephant.
“Ahmed Musa is a big player and at the moment we know the economic situation of the country and the bad roads in some regions,” Yahaya said.
“He is going to honour all our home matches and if there is an available flight in the state when we have an away game, then he is going to attend. He did not say that he’s totally going to be unavailable for our games on the road, but he is going to attend those matches by flight, but for the games that are close by, like a game at Katsina or Bauchi, he is ready to go. But we need to provide good facilities for him.”
Make reasonable bets with Betway as the NPL resumes this coming weekend, with close to 8 matches on the cards.