What a splendid season it has been for El-Kanemi Warriors! First they got promoted into the Nigeria Premier League. They are the winners of the President Federation Cup, following up earlier victories of 1991 and 1992 and then cap it up with a ticket to play at the CAF Confederation Cup next season.  

 The 2-0 win over Abia Warriors tells just a bit of their dominance. They were undoubtedly the better side as they fired full cylinder from the beginning of their encounter with Abia Warriors who were contended to merely chasing loose balls.

  The El kanemi Warriors were blazing from beginning to the end and became the first team to lift the national cup at the competition’s place of birth since the then WNDC Shooting Stars won on 23 October 1971 – the last concluded Nigeria FA Cup at Onikan.

 Nimble-footed midfielder Nasiru Salihu, who would be crowned most valuable player of the competition, dazzled in the middle of the park and scored both goals to leave the Abia Warriors to look to fight another day.  

Rivers Angels of Port Harcourt won their ninth title and El-Kanemi Warriors of Maiduguri won their third title as Nigeria’s National Cup (now known as President Federation Cup) grand finale took place at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Lagos on Saturday.

In the women’s final, an enthralling encounter between the Angels from Garden City and Naija Ratels from the Federal Capital, and which kicked off at 1pm beside the Lagos Waterfront, was decided by a goal scored from the penalty spot by Blessing Okpe right before the half-time whistle.

Coach Whyte Ogbonda, who lifted his first trophy as head coach, praised his players for their dedication, resilience and hard work. “This victory is a testament to the team’s resilience and determination. We are thrilled to be champions of the President Federation Cup.”

Naija Ratels’ head coach, Bankole Olowookere, commended his young squad for their progress to the final. “Although we did not get the desired result, I am proud of my players for their fighting spirit. We will learn from this experience and come back stronger.”

AWARDS

WOMEN’S COMPETITION

Winner: Rivers Angels (N25million)

Runner-Up: Naija Ratels (N10million)

MVP: Blessing Okpe (Rivers Angels FC)

Top Scorer: Agama Ziperefeghe (Naija Ratels FC)

Best Goalkeeper: Agatha Thompson (Rivers Angels FC)

MEN’S COMPETITION

Winner: El-Kanemi Warriors (N50million)

Runner-Up: Abia Warriors (N20million)

MVP: Nasiru Salihu (El-Kanemi Warriors FC)

Top Scorer: Emmanuel Ogbole (Kwara United FC)

Best Goalkeeper: Ali Ishaku (Abia Warriors FC)

BY KUNLE SOLAJA.

 The Enugu Rangers and Jigawa Golden Stars’ encounter of   November 18, 1995, in the Challenge Cup third-place match might have offered little in terms of thrills. But it could earn a place in football record books.

   The drab encounter at the National Stadium, Lagos, lasted for  135 minutes.

This  could be a record as the longest duration of a Challenge Cup match.  

Anwalu Ibrahim shot the Jigawa Golden Stars ahead after he had converted a pass from Habibu Inuwa to beat Enugu Rangers’ goalkeeper, Emeka Ijeh, in the 33rd minute. Enugu Rangers levelled up in the 62nd minute through substitute player, Fred Okpalo.

   At full time, score lines stood at 1-1.The mandatory extra time could not break the tie.

Then followed the penalty shootout that was filled with amazing drama.

In the first set of five kicks for each side, both scored twice to stalemate score line at 3-3.

Thereafter, one after the other, players on both sides missed from the penalty spot!

   There were 11 penalty kicks in a row that were lost, arousing the sleepy crowd that watched with amazement. Jigawa’s skipper Ibrahim Gwadale eventually scored in the “sudden-death” situation to put final score line at 4-3 in favour of his side.

The encounter produced one of the longest streaks of penalty misses.

The report, perhaps ,could have found a place in the famous Guinness Book of Records if entry had been made for it.

BY KUNLE SOLAJA.

The final match of the 2024 President Federation Cup holds this Saturday.

Before now, there had been 78 cup final matches and there have been change of trophies eight times.

The pertinent question: “Where are the previous eight trophies, especially the original one donated by in 1945 by the then Governor-General of Nigeria, Sir Arthur Richards?”

The trophies should be part of the archival materials of Nigerian football.  The original trophy was last presented on January 31, 1970, to Ibadan Lions.

The Nigeria national cup trophies across the ages: 1945, 1970, 1979, 1989, 1995, 1996, 2006, 2009

It was a belated final match for the 1969 competition. When the trophy was phased out nine months later for the 1970 competition which incidentally was the silver jubilee edition, Ibadan made a passionate plea to be allowed to have it for keeps as the last winner.

The then Nigeria Football Association (NFA) turned down the proposal. Where then is the trophy? This should be an archival material, which should have appreciated in value and should be worth millions of naira now.

  The original Governor’s Cup is not the only trophy missing. Where is the Nnamdi Azikiwe Cup for competition between Ghana and Nigeria and the Tafawa Balewa Cup for the competition between Nigeria and Guinea.

Both trophies were presented in 1963. Nigeria’s first ever trophy was the Jalco Cup won after a defeat of Ghana (then Gold Coast) in 1951. It was won for keeps by Ghana in 1959 and a new Kwame Nkrumah Cup was presented.

Enquiries with the Ghana FA also revealed that the trophy could not be traced.

The JALCO Cup, Nigeria’s first international silverware in October 1951

Perhaps, replicas of such trophies could be made for archival purposes.  NFF could approach the Ghana FA to make a replica of the Jalco Cup and have it as an archival material – being Nigeria’s first ever cup victory. History is an important aspect of human endeavour.  

A body without history will not be able to know its past and evaluate its present to be able to project the future. There should be trophy shelves in the headquarters of the NFF harbouring the vast memories of Nigeria’s rich past.