Nigerian Football
Kunle Soname at 60: The Quiet Architect of Nigerian Football’s Modern Dream
By Kunle Solaja.
This Monday, one of Nigeria’s most influential yet understated sports visionaries, Kunle Soname, marks his 60th birthday. This is a milestone that invites both celebration and reflection on a life that has profoundly reshaped the business and culture of sport in Nigeria.
A recipient of the national honour of Officer of the Federal Republic (OFR), Soname’s story is not merely one of wealth, but of purpose. It is a story of a man who has steadily, almost quietly, built structures where others only made promises.
Soname’s love affair with football is the stuff of legend. Family lore recalls how deeply rooted that passion runs: his late father once warned in-laws to avoid fixing his wedding on a match day, fearing his son might choose football over his own ceremony. It was not a joke. It was insight.
Kunle Soname: A passionate football investor whose commitment to the game remains unwavering.
That same passion would decades later give birth to Remo Stars F.C., a club that has grown from modest beginnings into one of the most professionally run sides in the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL).
In a moment that felt almost poetic, Remo Stars sealed the league title around his 59th birthday—an inadvertent but fitting tribute to a man whose life has been intertwined with the game.
Soname is not just a club owner; he is an ecosystem builder. His football portfolio is unmatched in Nigeria: alongside Remo Stars are Remo Stars Ladies and Beyond Limits FA—a pipeline that nurtures talent from grassroots to elite level.
He remains the sole Nigerian with three football teams, making him Nigeria’s biggest investor in football. By now, the Nigeria U-20 Women’s team, Falconets, are in the Ikenne sports facility, training for qualification for the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup.
Soname’s facilities have been a haven for many Nigerian national football teams, including the Falconets, the home-based Super Eagles, among others.
Beyond Nigeria’s shores, he made history in 2015 by acquiring C.D. Feirense, becoming the first Nigerian to own a European football club. In doing so, he created a rare international bridge for Nigerian footballers.
And the results are tangible. Young talents developed under his system are already making global strides, including moves to clubs like Inter Milan and Flamengo. This is clear evidence that his model works.
Ikenne: From Quiet Town to Football Destination
Perhaps Soname’s most enduring legacy is not a balance sheet figure, but a place: Ikenne.
Once a quiet Ogun State town, it is fast becoming a hub of Nigerian football, thanks to a world-class sports complex that has drawn admiration from across the continent. The facilities, complete with modern pitches, residential quarters, medical centres, and training infrastructure, have been compared to elite European academies.
Visitors have struggled to hide their amazement. The scale, vision, and execution challenge long-held assumptions about what is possible in Nigerian sports infrastructure.
A Business Empire with Sporting Soul
While football is his heartbeat, Soname’s influence extends far beyond it. Through Bet9ja, he revolutionised sports betting in Nigeria, introducing digital platforms that reshaped fan engagement. His aviation venture, ValueJet, has carved a niche for reliability in a challenging sector.
His investments span banking, agriculture, real estate, ceramics, and media, including Remo City FM 94.3. Yet, unlike many in his league, Soname remains intensely private—one of Nigeria’s “silent billionaires” whose impact speaks louder than publicity.
Beyond Football: A Patron of Sport
His commitment to sport transcends football. From sponsoring badminton championships that unearthed new talents to backing road races that energised local communities, Soname has consistently demonstrated a belief in sport as a vehicle for development. His Bet9ja Foundation has been a bridge conveying goodwill to society.
At a time when private ownership of football clubs in Nigeria is often seen as risky, he has set a new standard—proving that with structure, vision, and patience, sustainability is possible. It is perhaps an acknowledgement of this that has seen four privately run clubs, rising from the lower NNL into the elite NPFL at the close of the 2025/26 Season.
Barring other factors, a record eight clubs may compete in the NPFL next season, a record since the 1980s when privately run clubs blossomed.
Humility in Greatness
Despite his vast achievements, those who know Soname often speak first of his humility. He is described as cheerful, generous, and deeply committed to empowering young people. Opportunities created through his platforms have changed countless lives—many of them far from the spotlight.
The Legacy at 60
At 60, Kunle Soname stands as a symbol of what Nigerian sports can become when passion meets planning. His journey reflects a rare blend of vision, discipline, and quiet determination.
In an era often defined by noise, he has chosen substance.
And as Nigerian football continues to evolve, one thing is certain: long after the celebrations of his diamond jubilee fade, the structures he has built—in stadiums, academies, businesses, and lives—will continue to shape the game for generations to come.
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The President of the Confederation of African Football, Patrice Motsepe, has expressed deep sorrow over the death of former Nigerian international Michael Eneramo.
In a condolence message, Motsepe, on behalf of CAF and its 54 Member Associations, extended sympathies to the Nigeria Football Federation and its President, Ibrahim Musa Gusau, as well as to the family of the late striker and the entire Nigerian nation.
Motsepe described Eneramo’s passing as a painful loss to African football, acknowledging his contributions to the game both in Nigeria and abroad.
Eneramo featured for several clubs during his career, including Lobi Stars, Tunisian giants Espérance Sportive de Tunis, and Turkish side Beşiktaş J.K.
CAF prayed for the repose of his soul and comfort for all those affected by the loss.
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Multi-tasking sports administrator and journalist Godwin Enakhena has congratulated four clubs—Inter Lagos, Doma United, Ranchers Bees and Sporting Lagos—on their promotion to the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL).
Enakhena, who also serves as chairman of Sporting Lagos, is due to step down from his role as president of the National League Clubs Owners and Managers Association (NALCOMA) following his club’s successful elevation to the top flight.
In earlier disposition, when his club was in the top-flight league, he was General Secretary of the NPFL Club Owners Association
In a statement, the outgoing NALCOMA boss praised the resilience and determination of the promoted sides, noting that their achievements came despite systemic challenges encountered during the just-concluded Nigeria National League (NNL) season.
“The promotion of these clubs is a testament to hard work, resilience, and belief. However, the real task begins now,” Enakhena said. “They must prepare adequately to compete at the highest level and validate the strength and relevance of the NNL as a breeding ground for top-flight football.”
He urged the newly promoted teams to begin early preparations for the 2026/2027 NPFL season to ensure competitiveness in the elite division.
NALCOMA also reaffirmed its commitment to supporting clubs and stakeholders to enhance professionalism and competitiveness across Nigerian football.
In the same vein, the association commended teams relegated at the end of the season for their fighting spirit and contribution to the league’s quality and excitement.
“Every season comes with its highs and lows, and while some teams celebrate promotion or survival, others face the disappointment of relegation,” Enakhena added. “What matters most is the ability to learn, rebuild, and come back stronger.”
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Nigerian Football
Sporting Lagos’ “Trial by Fire”: Enakhena Lifts the Lid on Ordeal Behind NPFL Promotion
By Kunle Solaja.
The chairman of Sporting Lagos, Godwin Enakhena, has delivered a searing account of intimidation, alleged match manipulation, and administrative breakdown that marred his club’s decisive promotion clash against Osun United.
It was an experience that can be likened to raw gold passing through fire to be refined.
In a detailed statement shared on the WhatsApp platform Family United by Sport, Enakhena described a harrowing sequence of events in Ileogbo, Osun State, where Sporting Lagos secured promotion to the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) despite what he portrayed as a hostile and unsafe environment.
A Match Overshadowed by Fear
Heading into the fixture, Sporting Lagos’ path appeared straightforward. With victories already secured against First Bank and Rovers of Calabar, Enakhena believed promotion was within reach, especially against an Osun United side already relegated to the Nationwide League.
But warnings from insiders hinted at trouble.
Upon arrival in Ileogbo, those fears quickly materialised. Enakhena alleged that threats were issued even before kickoff, including restrictions on media coverage and warnings that recording equipment would be destroyed. At the match venue, he encountered what he described as “area boys” openly smoking cannabis and intimidating officials and visitors.
Supporters of Sporting Lagos were reportedly barred from entering the stadium and threatened with violence. Some were later smuggled in through a back entrance, only to face further attempts to eject them.
Shut out but not silenced—fans of Sporting Lagos watch from afar as their team faces Osun United after being denied entry into the stadium.
Allegations of Intimidation and Bias
Enakhena painted an even darker picture on the pitch. According to him, match officials “were on a mission” to prevent Sporting Lagos from gaining promotion, turning the encounter into what he called “a horror movie.”
He also recounted direct threats allegedly issued in person:
“You’ve come here to qualify? We will kill you here today… We know who we’re giving the ticket to.”
Efforts to reach Osun United chairman Gbenga Ololade reportedly yielded little reassurance. After calling through an unfamiliar telephone number, Enakhena claimed Ololade bluntly told him: “You can’t win here” and that he would not guarantee the safety of visiting Sporting Lagos fans.
The statement and those reportedly made at the pre-match meeting call for serious review if football is to retain sanity in Nigeria. Similarly, a review of the match commissioner’s report may also through lights.
Despite the reported intimidating conditions, Sporting Lagos held firm to secure the result that confirmed their return to the NPFL.
Leadership, Contrast, and a Systemic Problem
Enakhena contrasted his experience in Osun with an earlier fixture in Abeokuta, where he commended Bukola Olopade, Director General of the National Sports Commission, for demonstrating integrity by not influencing a crucial game involving Stormers FC, a club he owns.
That contrast, he implied, reflects a deeper divide within Nigerian football governance, between fair competition and systemic interference.
He also acknowledged the roles of Osun State FA chairman, Sola Fanawopo and his Lagos State counterpart, Gafar Liameed, whom he contacted in advance seeking protection and fair play assurances, though events on match day suggested those assurances were insufficient.
A Familiar Story in Nigerian Football
The Sporting Lagos ordeal is not an isolated incident but part of a troubling pattern that has long plagued Nigerian domestic football.
From intimidation of referees and visiting teams to crowd violence and administrative interference, such practices have eroded the credibility of competitions like the Nigerian football leagues.
Analysts argue that clubs emerging from such environments are often ill-prepared for the professionalism and tactical demands of continental competitions.
This systemic dysfunction helps explain why Nigerian clubs, despite the country’s rich football heritage, have struggled to make a consistent impact in CAF inter-club tournaments in recent years.
Triumph Without Joy
Perhaps the most telling aspect of Enakhena’s account is his emotional response to success. Despite achieving promotion, his third as a club chairman, he admitted he could not celebrate.
“I was too dazed,” he said, reflecting on the ordeal.
Instead, he framed the achievement in spiritual and metaphorical terms: a journey through fire that ultimately purified and strengthened his team.
What Next?
Sporting Lagos will now join the NPFL, alongside other privately owned Lagos-based sides, signalling a shift toward private sector involvement in Nigerian club football.
Yet Enakhena’s revelations raise urgent questions: Can the league system reform itself? Will governing bodies act decisively against intimidation and malpractice? And can Nigerian football restore the integrity required to compete globally?
Until those questions are answered, stories like Sporting Lagos’—of triumph forged in adversity—may continue to define the domestic game, even as they undermine its future.
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Kunle Soname at 60: The Quiet Architect of Nigerian Football’s Modern Dream
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