Nigerian Football
NPFL PLAYOFF: TITLE, CONTINENTAL TICKETS DOWN TO THE LAST GAME
BY FISAYO DAIRO
It is the final MatchDay of the 2018/19 Nigeria Professional
Football League (NPFL) Championship Playoff this Wednesday at the Agege Stadium
and there are still all to play for five of the six clubs with the giant trophy
and two continental slots up for grabs.
The four previous match days of high intensity and top level competition have
left seven-time league champions Enyimba as the only team to have sealed a
continental place for next season while FC Ifeanyiubah are the only team mathematically
out of the running having turned out the “whipping boys” with no
points from four games.
A total of thirty-six goals have been scored in twelve matches, an impressive
average of three goals per game, but in spite of a low scoring Match Day 4 (by
the lofty standards of this season’s playoffs), it does not look like the teams
are tired of banging in the good, great goals.
Enyimba overtook Kano Pillars at the summit of the log after an expected, but
comprehensive 3-1 win over FC Ifeanyiubah on Monday night. All the People’s
Elephant now need to seal a return to CAF Champions League football for the
first time in four seasons is to avoid losing by not more than a one-goal
margin against Akwa United who desperately need a win.
Enyimba’s nine points have guaranteed them a top three spot regardless of
Wednesday’s result but Usman Abd’Allah’s men do have their sights on the trophy
they last won in 2015. Akwa United who remain unbeaten in their first four
games will however pose a capable threat to their aspirations.
Akwa United head coach Rafael Everton is expected to recall former Enyimba star
Mfon Udoh – who came on as substitute in their last two games – to the starting
line up and the Brazilian acknowledges that it will be a difficult game on
Wednesday.
“We will continue to believe. We came here to work and we will continue to
believe that we will win the league. It is (going to be) a difficult game, it
is a derby but we’ve not lost in all the games we have played so we will start
planning to win the last game,” Everton told www.npfl.ng.
Kano Pillars are the only remaining unbeaten side in this Playoffs and they
require just a point from their last game against calculator-wearied Lobi Stars
to seal a return to the continent since 2015. Pillars were denied by a late
minute penalty against Rangers on Monday which made them relinquish their top
spot to Enyimba.
Pillars will continue to rely on forwards Nyima Nwagua and Ebuka David Odenigbo
against a Lobi Stars side who can still finish third with a win should both
Rangers and Akwa United lose their games.
Another side with their destiny not directly in their hands is current Cup
winners Rangers International. Gbenga Ogunbote’s wards are expected to have a
straight forward win on paper over FC Ifeanyiubah but that may not be
sufficient for them if Lobi Stars do not do them the favour of beating Pillars.
Rangers have five points, three less than Pillars but will have to win by at
least a 3-goal margin against the 2016 Federation Cup winners and pray that
Pillars lose, or Akwa United fail to win if they intend to make it a
back-to-back appearance in the CAF Confederation Cup.
The Agege Township Stadium remains the stage for the final day of hostilities
and while landing the topmost prize of the NPFL 2018/19 season will be tops on
the wish list of Enyimba, Kano Pillars and Akwa United, an eventual place on
the continent should be good reward for the latter duo.
Surely, a day of celebration, ecstasy, what ifs, if only and had we known is in
the offing with tears of joy and sorrow expected to flow over onto the Agege
waters.
The Lagos Legends Club has called on the Federal Government, state governments and key stakeholders in the sports sector to support the burial of former Nigerian international Henry Nwosu, describing him as a national icon deserving of a dignified farewell.
Nwosu, a Member of the Order of the Niger (MON), is scheduled to be laid to rest in Owerri on May 16, 2026.
In a press release, the Lagos Legends Club—a fraternity of former Nigerian footballers—said it had taken initial steps to ensure a befitting burial for its departed member, but stressed that the responsibility should not be left to ex-players alone.
The group described Nwosu as more than just a footballer, noting his historic contribution to Nigerian football, including scoring the country’s only goal at the 1980 Olympic Games in a 1-1 draw against Czechoslovakia.
“For decades, he served as an inspiration to millions and a mentor to countless players who followed,” the statement read. “Yet, like too many of our sports heroes, his final years were marked by struggle rather than comfort.”
The club urged government authorities, particularly the governors of Edo, Lagos, Abia, Anambra and Enugu states, to recognise that Nwosu’s legacy transcends regional boundaries and belongs to the entire nation.
It also called on the National Sports Commission, the Nigeria Football Federation and corporate organisations to rise to the occasion and support the burial arrangements.
“We have witnessed remarkable gestures from individuals who understand that a nation is judged by how it treats its heroes,” the statement added. “We now urge all stakeholders to emulate this and ensure that Henry Nwosu is honoured in death as he was in life.”
The Lagos Legends Club emphasised that the approaching burial date presents an opportunity for Nigerian football and the nation at large to demonstrate unity and gratitude.
“The clock ticks toward May 16, 2026. Let this not be a testament to neglect, but a statement of national appreciation,” the group said.
Nwosu, widely regarded as one of Nigeria’s finest midfielders of his generation, remains a celebrated figure in the country’s football history, with his legacy continuing to inspire both players and fans.
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The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) will on Thursday, April 2, 2026 inaugurate its Electoral Committee and Electoral Appeals Committee, marking a key step in preparations for the federation’s next executive elections.
The inauguration ceremony will take place at the NFF Secretariat in Abuja and will be presided over by NFF President and WAFU B Zone President, Ibrahim Musa Gusau.
The two committees were constituted during last week’s Extraordinary General Assembly held in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, as part of the roadmap towards the NFF Elective Congress scheduled for September 26 in Lafia, Nasarawa State.
A total of 12 members have been appointed across both bodies. The Electoral Committee will comprise seven members, including a chairperson, vice chairperson and three other full members, alongside two alternates. The Electoral Appeals Committee will have five members, made up of three full members and two alternates.
According to the NFF, the Electoral Committee will oversee the entire electoral process in line with the provisions of the federation’s Statutes (March 2026 edition) and Electoral Code (March 2026). Its responsibilities include organizing, conducting and supervising elections into the NFF Executive Committee.
Those appointed into the two committees include Matthew Burkala (SAN), Hon. Justice C.J. Aneke, Emmanuel Dada Obafemi, Babagoni Grema, Benjamin Sak, Bature Musa and Professor Abdulmalik Awwal. Others are Arinze Azubuike Anughere, Dr Akogun Olugbenga Omole, Abayomi Akin Omoyimi, Ayibaye Peter Great Temedie and Ayi Ekpo Ukpayam.
Thursday’s inauguration is expected to formally set the committees in motion, with their immediate mandate being to lay the groundwork for a transparent and credible electoral process leading to the September congress.
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Nigerian Football
NSC, Edo FA Back Ikhana Football Academy, Set to Adopt Model for Youth Development
The Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Bukola Olopade, and the Edo State Football Association have pledged strong institutional support for the newly launched Kadiri Ikhana Football Academy (KIFA), describing it as a model for grassroots football development in Nigeria.
The commitment was made during the official unveiling of the academy in Auchi, Edo State, on Saturday, where stakeholders praised the initiative of former Nigerian international, Kadiri Ikhana.
Represented at the event by his aide, Ebidowei Oweife, Olopade commended Ikhana for establishing an academy that integrates football training with formal education, noting that the Commission intends to nurture and replicate the model across the country.
“We are happy that a person of the calibre of Coach Kadiri Ikhana has taken this initiative. He is not only a member of the historic 1980 Green Eagles squad that won the Africa Cup of Nations but also the first Nigerian coach to win the CAF Champions League with Enyimba,” Olopade said.
Declaring the project a priority, the NSC boss added, “The academy is our baby, and we shall adopt it. We are particularly impressed that it combines football with schooling. We want the students to take their education seriously alongside their football careers. The NSC will definitely support this project.”
Also throwing its weight behind the initiative, the Edo State Football Association described the academy as a significant step toward youth empowerment and football development in the state.
Chairman of the association, Fred Newton, who was represented at the ceremony, praised Ikhana for investing his experience and knowledge in grooming the next generation of players.
“We are delighted that you have chosen to give back by shaping young talents in Edo State. This initiative will have a lasting impact not only in Edo North but across the entire state. We are fully behind you and will support you in achieving your goals,” Newton stated.
The Kadiri Ikhana Football Academy is expected to serve as a hub for nurturing young football talents while ensuring their academic growth, aligning with broader efforts to create a more structured and sustainable pathway for sports development in Nigeria.
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