Former coach of the U23 team of Nigeria Samson Siasia says the agent of John Obi Mikel offered him cash bribe for him to include his client in his team for the 2008 Olympic games in Beijing, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Nigeria finished with silver at the football event of the tournament losing 1-2 to Argentina in the final. Siasia graduated most of players that played for him at the U20 World Cup in 2005 to the team, and like it was at the Olympics they lost to Argentina in the final.

According to Siasia, Mikel was not getting games at Chelsea and his agent offered him cash to include him in his squad, but he turned it down because he already told Mikel that if he doesn’t turn up for the qualifiers against Ghana he won’t include him in his team.

Siasia told Elegbete TV Sports, “Mikel wasn’t a starter at Chelsea then, he was on the bench. I told him we only had one game against Ghana to play – please come and help us.

“I said if he doesn’t come, he won’t go anywhere. But Mikel refused to come, saying he was playing in Chelsea. Nothing happened, we played very well, at the end of the day 0-0, we qualified.

“Going to the Olympics, Mikel wants to come and play. His agent said he would give me €50,000 so Mikel should play.

“I said it’s not about €50,000. He didn’t play the qualifiers, so I will take out someone that qualified us and bring you in? It won’t happen. That’s why Mikel didn’t go.”

Ade Emmanuel

The APFAN Super League has established itself as Nigeria’s top youth league, featuring talented players under the age of 19. With its high standard of play, global recognition, and focus on player development, academic excellence, and community building, the league has become a premier platform for young players to showcase their skills and achieve excellence in both football and academics nurturing Premium football talents.

APFAN Super League is played in the Mainbowl of the Otunba Dipo Dina International Stadium, Ijebu Ode, Ogun state. In the last 4years, Ijebu has become the bedrock of football in the South West of Nigeria. It houses top academies with its highly

Organized football and maintained infrastructure of well turfed main-bowl and training pitches. Ijebu land also boast of Remo stars Stadium with all its teams, Ebiede stadium and its teams, Seyi Olofinjana’s Imperial Football Club amongst other notable clubs and academies.

*A Platform for Global Talent Discovery*

The APFAN Super League attracts scouts and clubs from around the world, with international scouts scouting the league to identify talented players. The league’s partnerships with scouting agencies and targeted marketing efforts ensure that talented players are exposed to top clubs and agencies globally. In the 2025 season which kicks off July 25th, APFAN expects at least 2 sets of international scouts and sporting directors to attend the league, in addition to numerous scouts and partners watching remotely.

Over 20 players who participated in the league have gone on to play professionally globally or represent Nigeria’s national teams, including the U17, U20, and CHAN Eagles. 4 players from the APFAN SuperLeague member clubs recently represented Gold medal winning Ogun State football team in the just concluded National Sports Festival.

This years edition would witness visits from Top Nigerian coaches including age group National Team representatives.

*Benefits for Clubs and Academies*

The APFAN Super League and Super Cup offer numerous benefits to clubs and academies, including:

– *Player Development*: Rapid development for players in a competitive environment

– *Quality Content*: Matches are live streamed and also recorded offline ensuring instant monitoring and Top-quality videos for teams

– *Scouting and Discovery*: Global platform for player discovery and signing

– *Professional Experience*: Players build their careers playing high-stakes, tension soaked games every weekend and midweek

– *Club Organization*: Strict adherence to FIFA rules and EPL standards improves club management standards

– *Increased Player Value*: Global visibility and accessibility increase player value

*A Commitment to Excellence*

The APFAN Super League is committed to maintaining high standards and quality in all aspects of the league. From thorough team screening to strict adherence to FIFA rules and regulations, the league ensures that players, clubs, and academies are provided with a fair and professional environment to compete.

*About APFAN-OG*

The Association for Proprietors of Football Academies, Nigeria – Ogun State Chapter (APFAN-OG) is a registered body of owners, founders, and executive management of Football Academies in Nigeria. APFAN-OG’s objectives include grooming top football talents while ensuring academic excellence, ensuring the wellbeing of young players, and safeguarding and defending academies.

It’s run by all member academies. It is worthy to note that APFAN-OG membership and its competitions are opened to clubs and academies across Africa.

The APFAN Super League is the best private league in Africa, providing a platform for young players to develop their skills, showcase their talents, and achieve excellence in both football and academics. Join the league today and be part of the future of African football!

Website: www.APFANOG.ng

Email: [email protected]

IG: ApfanSuperLeague

Did you know that approximately 64.7% of the world population uses social media, which makes up 5.31 billion people, scrolling endlessly over its various platforms? Whether engaging with the Instagram feed or getting lost in the sea of short TikTok videos, today’s users are deeply involved, influencing every aspect of their mental well-being. Still wondering how social media and mental health are intertwined?

According to the Electro IQ reports, social media is responsible for a 70% increment in teens’ depression, and 41% of Gen Z social media users claim that it is the cause of their depression, anxiety, or sadness. Thus, it’s a proven fact from thousands of studies that a connection between social media and mental health is ruining our youth in the age of Instagram and TikTok.

In this article, we will go into the effects of social media on mental health and explore the practical solutions in 2025. So, let’s dive into using your social media in a more mindful way!

What Are Social Media Mental Health Challenges in the Age of Instagram & TikTok and Their Solutions?

In 2025, millions of people depend on Instagram and TikTok as they consider them their digital lifelines rather than simply as platforms. As digital society constantly changes over time, users, especially teenagers and young adults, frequently experience emotional exhaustion and mental health issues. As it is the hot topic of 2025, teachers mostly assign students to work on social media mental health assignments and explore social media effects on mental health. 

So, if you also got an assignment and are now struggling to work on it, you can acquire assistance from UK-based assignment writing services. Their experts can streamline the task with their invaluable mental health knowledge and expertise. 

The following are some common social media and mental health challenges of Gen Z users, along with expert-suggested solutions.

1. Comparison Anxiety & Low Self-Esteem

You may feel inferior as a result of endless feeds of photoshopped images, viral trends, and luxurious lives. You may also create self-doubt, which is frequently brought on by the pressure to appear to have an ideal life suitable for Instagram existence.

The following are essential solutions to handle this challenging situation:

• Create Your Feed with Purpose: You should follow accounts that give you confidence rather than insecurity.
• Unfollow Triggers: You have to unfollow or mute websites that create doubts about your personality.
• Practice Gratitude Journaling: You should create an offline appreciation notebook by listing the things in your life that you are grateful for.
• Implement Statements: You should encourage yourself every day to turn your attention inside.

2. Fear of Missing Out 

You may feel excluded or left out when you see others go to events, travel, or achieve success, even if you are happy with your own life. This is the time when social media and mental health correlate and affect your well-being.

The following are essential solutions:

• Don’t Spend Too Much Time Scrolling: You have to set particular times of day to use social media.
• Find Pleasure Offline: You should arrange other offline activities that bring you joy, such as hiking, reading, or drawing.
• Take Pauses While Using Social Media: You have to take off from social media for a day or weekend and then monitor your feelings.

3. Addiction to Likes, Shares & Validation

How does social media affect mental health? Sometimes you feel anxiety when your post does not perform well. You may remove information that does not receive enough attention, which results in performance-based posting, instead of promoting genuine expressions.

The following are a few Solutions:

• Distinguish Value From Measurements: You should realise that likes don’t represent your actual worth.
• Post with Purpose: You should share what’s important to you instead of what’s popular.
• Limit Notifications: You have to turn off notifications that are not absolutely necessary to you.

4. Digital Burnout

Your mental energies can be drained due to continuously being exposed to messages, trends, material, and viral challenges. This is the digital version of burnout, and it is real due to the connection between social media and mental health. However, if you are suffering from depression or burnout, you should make use of natural ways to calmly deal with stress. 

The following are a few important solutions:

• Arrange Phone-free Times: You can set your phone time by scrolling one hour in the morning and one hour just before bedtime.
• Practice Digital Mindfulness:  You have to engage with digital awareness by refocusing with applications such as Headspace or Forest.
• Batch Your Time: You can save your time by just checking applications two or three times a day rather than constantly running them.

5. Cyberbullying & Online Harassment

If your content goes viral, you may get frequent body shaming, trolling, hurtful comments, and social call-outs. These can all create anxiety, tension, and even chronic emotional damage from online harassment.

The following are a few essential solutions for this problem:

• Use Filtering and Blocking Tools: You can minimise the effects of social media on mental health by blocking specific phrases and comments on Instagram and TikTok.
• Report Abuse Quickly: You should report the abuse immediately, as it can protect both social media and mental health.
• Speak with a Trusted Person: You have to talk with trusted people about your situation, such as your teacher, parents, or counsellor.
• Avoid Interacting with Trolls: Your strength is in your silence, as their purpose is to disturb you only.

6. Sleep Disruption & Insomnia

You can get disturbed in your natural sleep cycles by late-night scrolling, as social media affects mental health badly. It’s more difficult to go to sleep and remain asleep because of blue light and content excitement.

The following are a few Solutions:

• Maintain a Tech Curfew: You should maintain a strict schedule to power down devices at least half an hour before bed. 
• Create a Relaxing Bedtime Routine: You have to replace browsing social media with reading a book.
• Always Keep Your Phone out of the Room: While charging, as when it is out of eyesight, it is also out of your mind.

7. Perfectionism & Pressure to Perform

The students, especially those who try to stay up or content creators fighting the race of being a perfectionist, often find it difficult to handle the pressure of social media. Being active at all times can cause stress, fatigue, and perfectionism for them. It is the best example of the impact of social media on mental health.

The following are a few essential solutions:

• Accept What goes on Behind the Scenes: You should provide real facts instead of using only well-looking pictures.
• Take Pauses from Creating Content: It’s acceptable to stop and relax while creating your content.
• Avoid Perfectionism: You should always prioritise growth over likes and celebrate progress rather than perfection.

Is Social Media Bad for Mental Health?

It is not the platform that is responsible for affecting mental health; rather, it is about the use of social media, like how much time you spend on it, and how you consume its content. Yes, according to McLean Hospital, there is a very thin line between social media and mental health that can get blurred due to spending too much time comparing oneself to others, chasing likes, or absorbing bad content. Thus, it results in anxiety, poor self-esteem, and even depression among users. 

However, this digital technology may also be empowering and uplifting when used deliberately to create, learn, and connect. So, balancing your activities and using the platform mindfully is important to ensure your mental well-being. 

What Age Group’s Mental Health is Most Affected by Social Media?

WHO reports showed that over 1 in 10 teens, which makes up about 11%, face social media affecting mental health, and undergo the negative effects because of it. Moreover, studies show that girls are more affected than boys, with 13% of girls struggling compared to 9% of boys. 

As teenagers of 13 to 24 are often developing and struggling with their emotions, they are more vulnerable to being affected by the excessive use of social media. 

What Social Groups are Most at Risk of Developing Mental Health Problems?

The following social groups are most at risk of developing mental health problems:

• The group of teens and young adults who regularly utilise social media sites, including Instagram and TikTok.
• The marginalised groups that are famous for hate speech, injustice, or false representation online.
• The groups of influencers or innovators are continuously under pressure to perform and impress audiences.

Why Does Social Media Cause Anxiety?

University of California states that comparing yourself with others, giving more than usual time to the screen, and the pressure to keep up with fleeting trends make it emotionally challenging for Gen Z, causing anxiety and depression. As social media’s life is under filters and you cannot get the actual picture of others, it creates more pressure on youth to compare their flaws with others’ curated lives. 

Along with that, the pressure to pop out as a social media star, win the race of likes and followers, and the FOMO of being left alone also leads you to low self-esteem and depression. Additionally, now the use of AI in cyberbullying is adding fuel to the fire and causing more people to be affected by the impact of social media on mental health.

Final Thoughts

No one can deny the fact that social media and mental health are interrelated, especially for youngsters who completely depend on Instagram and TikTok. Although these platforms are meant to inspire, entertain, and connect, they also present significant mental health issues. To manage these platforms without totally eliminating them, we have covered the main mental health issues that arise from excessively using them and provided workable, professional-backed answers.

Along with that, if excessive use of social media has impacted your mental health negatively, you can’t focus on your academics as well, and you have a lot of pending homework. You may contact assignment writing firms in the UK. Professionals simplify the process and guide you to efficiently complete your homework on time. So, it is not social media that is responsible for affecting mental health; it all depends on how you use it. By using the given solutions, you can improve your screen time habits and empower yourself!

Author Bio

Ada H. Davis is an assignment writing expert and a keen researcher who loves to explore different realistic topics and solve problems. She has more than 5 years of experience in this field, guiding students on how they can effectively complete their assignments by avoiding common pitfalls.

22 year old Rennes winger Kazeem Olaigbe met with head coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Eric Chelle in France last season, OwnGoalNigeria.com can exclusively reveal.

Born in Belgium to parents of Nigerian descent, the winger who joined the Ligue 1 side during the winter transfer window from Belgium side Cercle Brugge has already represented Belgium at U21 level, but still remains eligible for Nigeria at senior level.

Trained in England notably at Southampton, his representative said he had a formal meeting with Chelle on the possibility of playing for Nigeria, but no decision has been made on switching at least for now.

” They met in France after a game last season and talked about switching to play for Super Eagles. It was a brief meeting and no conclusion was reached.

Of course Kazeem is happy in the Belgium setup but that doesn’t mean he should snub an approach from Nigeria”, he said.

Last season he played in ten games in Ligue 1 and picked up two assists. His main objective going into next season is to stamp his authority in the team before considering a switch of nationality.

” It’s a beautiful position to be in but he will take his time to make his mark in Ligue 1 before making a decision. So let’s wait and see because he is still very young and growing”, he concluded.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

The proposed contract extension offered to Onuche Ogbelu by Tunisian side Esperance has been put on hold by the player’s representative after his performance at the club world cup, OwnGoalNigeria.com can exclusively reveal.

Ogbelu verbally agreed to extend his stay with the club for another four years, and was expected to sign the dotted line on the extension after the club world cup, but that is no longer happening at least in the immediate.

His performance at the club world cup has alerted teams in Europe, as he was one of their brightest spark at the tournament despite their exit form the group stages. French Ligue 1 side OGC Nice are said to be heavily interested in signing him.

Nice have already reached out to his representative on the conditions required for the deal to happen, making the 22 year old to pause his plans of extending his deal with the Tunisians.

Although staying at Esperance is still his main priority, the midfielder has a desire to play in mainstream Europe as it will move him closer to his dream of playing for the senior national team of Nigeria.

He was a part of the U20 team of coach Ladan Bosso to the WAFU tournament and also the U20 AFCON two years ago. He was surprisingly omitted from the team for the world cup.

Daniel Martins

The president of French Ligue 1 side Nantes Waldemar Kita has lamented the exit of Nigeria international winger Moses Simon from the club following the conclusion of his transfer to Paris FC.

Simon left the club to join the city rival of PSG for a fee rumoured to be in the region of €7m and will earn twice his salary at his new club. However his close associate Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman revealed that Nantes never wanted the 29 year old to leave.

” Although the transfer fee is decent for a transfer between Ligue 1 teams for a player with a year left on his contract and also the pay is good. Nantes were however not willing to let him leave and the president made it known”, Mowiz revealed.

” Kita ( president of Nantes) was willing to match the pay Simon will be earning at Paris FC. He was also willing to hand Simon the three year deal he signed as well. He made it known that he sees Simon as a family member and not just a player anymore.

” Their relationship and understanding made the deal happen, because Simon wanted to be close to his family in Belgium, which the club understood and granted him his wish as a loyal servant to the club all through his six years stay”, he concluded.

Speaking to the media after a meeting with the football authority on the finances of the club, Kita confirmed that they were were able to pass the hearing without the proposed sales of Moses Simon (29) to Paris FC for €7m and Douglas Augusto (28) to FK Krasnodar for €6.5m. As Kita left the hearing, he was met by the press, and he confirmed this by stating, “We didn’t have to sell players to validate the budget.”

Daniel Martins

Spanish LaLiga side Real Betis has joined the list of teams interested in signing Nigeria international midfielder Wilfred Ndidi following the relegation of Leicester City from the English Premier League, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Ndidi is available for £9m as per a clause in his deal after the relegation of Leicester City. Teams like Manchester United, Everton and Juventus have all been credited with an interest in the 28 year old in the ongoing summer transfer window.

Real Betis according to talkSport are also in the mix for his signing as part of their midfield revamp after the humiliation of losing the UEFA Europa Conference League title 1-4 to Chelsea.

However Ndidi is also a target for teams in Saudi Arabia and he is reportedly willing to listen to offers from that region, which will no doubt offer him the chance to earn more money than any of the aforementioned European teams.

He is expected to resume pre season training next week, where talks will be held on his future which for now is more of a move away than staying. He joined the club in 2017 from Belgium side Genk.

Daniel Martins

As many as six players who have represented other countries at various levels are willing to represent the senior national team of Nigeria at the 2026 world cup, OwnGoalNigeria.com can exclusively reveal.

Nigeria are facing a difficult spell in their bid to be at the world cup as they have won just one of their first six games in the qualifiers. Drawing four and losing one. They presently sit in fourth position in their six team group. Six points behind the leaders South Africa.

However there is a glimmer of hope that FIFA will dock three points from the tally of South Africa after they fielded an ineligible player in their 2-0 win over Lesotho. Head coach Eric Chelle is also confident of his team taking advantage of that decision when it’s finally implemented as expected.

To that extent he has already made contacts with six players who are willing to be a part of the team despite representing other countries, or born abroad. Top of it is Tosin Adarabiyio who indicated his desire to play at the world cup and has opened up on wanting to take up the option of playing for Nigeria.

Adarabioyo said: “The World Cup means it is a decision I need to take sooner rather than later. It is a conversation we will have and we will see how it goes.”he said at the ongoing Club World Cup.

Empoli midfielder Tino Anjorin who is closing in on a move to Torino has also given his words to Chelle. Dapo Afolayan of Bundesliga side St. Pauli made the same vow after meeting Chelle in London during the games of the Unity Cup.

Wedding arrangements stopped Moritz Jenz who spent last season at loan to Mainz 05 from Wolfsburg from meeting with Chelle, after positive talks during the course of last season.

Sam Edozie who spent last season in Belgium with Anderlecht on loan from Southampton has also committed to the Super Eagles, just like Everton midfielder Tim Iroegbunam.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman