Nigerian Football
NPFL: LOBI, PLATEAU, RIVERS CHASE TITLE AS SECOND HALF OF THE SEASON KICKS OFF
BY MUYIWA AKINTUNDE.
The business end of the season starts across the country this Sunday with Lobi Stars standing on top of the log. Plateau United, Rivers United as well as Sunshine Stars and Dakkada FC are immediately challenging them.
This weekend’s fixtures are a reverse of the last Matchday games when the season reached the halfway point. In effect, teams who got on the wrong end of the result have the chance to have their own revenge.
Lobi Stars are in Bauchi to face Wikki Tourists who were unlucky to lose 1-2 from a winning position in Makurdi a week ago. Wikki arrive the Benue State capital from Aba where they had clashed with Enyimba in a rescheduled fixture midweek and lost 0-3. Not having fresh legs may count so much against the Giant Elephant, who are only two steps and two points above the bottom four.
In their last five matches, Lobi have won two, drawn two but lost to Jigawa Golden Stars by a lone goal in Kano; while Wikki have only won one (2-1 versus MFM in Bauchi), lost two on the road and drawn the remaining. Last season in Bauchi, this fixture ended 1-1.
Second placed Plateau United will sneak back to the head of the table if Lobi fail to make it in Bauchi and they, in turn, beat Dakkada in Jos. New on the blocks, the Akwa State side have punched above their weight and are rubbing shoulders with the heavyweights in the elite league.
In their first ever head-to-head clash, Plateau United got a point in their trip to Uyo against Dakkada last Sunday.
The former Akwa Starlets will be all out to emulate their “big brothers” Akwa United, who played goalless at the New Jos Stadium in Matchday 14 against Plateau United, the same result Kano Pillars got in Jos on Matchday 6.
Seven other home matches have however ended up in triumphs for Plateau United this term at home.
In third place are Rivers United who travel to Ilorin to encounter Kwara United, lone goal victims in Port Harcourt last Sunday. That result marked the seventh away defeat for Kwara United, which included 1-6 humiliation by Kano Pillars.
Nine home matches in their former name Delta Force and since the acquisition of that club have fetched Kwara United only five victories and two shared honours. In their first match as Kwara United, they lost 0-1 to Heartland in Ilorin and have also suffered 1-3 humiliation at the same ground against Plateau United.
Rivers United will be aiming at their third win on the road after beating Adamawa United (2-0) and Warri Wolves (1-0). United will also lead the league if they win and the results of Lobi Stars and Plateau United go their way.
Sunshine Stars, in No 4, are away in Nnewi to face FC Ifeanyi Ubah. Last Sunday in Akure, Sunshine shone in front of their fans winning 2-0 to break into the top four in place of Dakkada FC.
Wikki Tourists and Adamawa United surrendered to Sunshine Stars away this season, which means Ifeanyi Ubah should be mindful of their guests.
Akwa United were lucky to escape with a point in their kitty in the local derby against Dakkada midweek and they are in Enugu this time to face Rangers. The first leg in Uyo on Sunday was a goalless affair.
Katsina United wounded Warri Wolves 2-1 last weekend and arrive Warri Township Stadium aiming to replicate Rangers’ experience. In their last match on this ground, the Seasiders lost 1-2 to the Flying Antelopes.
Pillars returned to Kano last Sunday rueing their 1-3 capitulation to MFM in Agege after leading at the interval and having a large turnout of their fans in that vicinity backing them.
The invincible tag at Sani Abacha Stadium has been removed from Pillars this season. Opening with a goalless result against Rivers United, the Masu Gida lost 0-1 on Matchday 2 to Lobi Stars, and have also failed to beat Wikki Tourists and Warri Wolves on that ground.
MFM showed no respect to their hosts in their first away games of the season beating Heartland and Rangers, but have experienced setbacks, including the rejigging of their technical crew.
Like Rangers, defending champions Enyimba have four outstanding matches accumulated as a result of continental engagements. The People’s Elephant will aim at a double against local rivals Abia Warriors after winning the first leg 2-1 a week ago. Their 3-0 bashing of Wikki Tourists on Wednesday will boost them.
The fixtures
Abia Warriors v Enyimba
Rangers v Akwa United
Heartland v Adamawa United
FC Ifeanyi Ubah v Sunshine Stars
Kano Pillars v MFM
Kwara United v Rivers United
Nasarawa United v Jigawa Golden Stars
Plateau United v Dakkada FC
Warri Wolves v Katsina United
Wikki Tourists v Lobi Stars
Nigerian Football
Remo Stars’ Historic NPFL Win: A Testament to GTI’s Strategic Effort on Football Development
On Sunday, April 27, 2025, Remo Stars Football Club of Ikenne achieved a historic milestone by clinching their first-ever Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) title in the 2024/2025 season.
After coming up short in the previous two seasons, where they finished as runners-up, this victory was a personal achievement for the club and a significant moment for the NPFL itself.
Remo Stars’ 1-0 win over Niger Tornadoes secured the title with three games to spare, marking a new chapter in Nigerian football.
This victory highlights the substantial impact of strategic partnerships, specifically with GTI Asset Management and Trust Limited, which have been instrumental in the restructuring and repositioning of the NPFL.
Through their partnership with the NPFL Board, GTI has played a key role in improving the league’s competitiveness, officiating integrity, and overall management standards.
The last time a privately-owned club won the NPFL title was in 1996 when Udoji United triumphed.
Since then, privately-owned clubs have struggled to replicate that success, making Remo Stars’ achievement even more noteworthy.
Their victory came as part of GTI’s broader initiatives, including The Nigeria Football Fund (TNFF), which has introduced greater financial transparency and discipline into the league.
This partnership is reshaping the business side of Nigerian football, ensuring that clubs operate more professionally and attract greater investment.
In what can only be seen as a serendipitous moment, Remo Stars’ victory occurred on the same day that the club’s proprietor, Kunle Soname, was celebrating his birthday. What a double celebration it was!
Looking at the broader picture, this victory signals a positive trajectory for the NPFL, with increased investment, improved management, and a heightened focus on player development. The efforts of GTI Group, working alongside the current NPFL Board led by Gbenga Elegbeleye, are setting the stage for the future growth of Nigerian football.
GTI’s commitment to elevating the league is rooted in a vision of creating a more business-oriented, sustainable model for the NPFL.
By addressing the structural challenges that have historically held back Nigerian football, GTI’s efforts are aimed at attracting investments from well-meaning individuals and corporate bodies.
This strategy is not just about enhancing the quality of the league but also about providing financial returns for investors, much like what is seen in top football leagues around the world.
Remo Stars’ victory is not just a triumph for the club, but also a reflection of the broader efforts being made to improve the NPFL.
With the strategic support from GTI, Nigerian football is on a path towards greater success. The hope is that the league will continue to grow, producing more success stories like Remo Stars and eventually earning its place among the most glamorous leagues in the world.
In conclusion, Remo Stars’ historic win is a symbol of the power of strategic investment and visionary leadership. It underscores the potential of the NPFL to rise to new heights, benefiting both the clubs and the passionate fans who follow them.
With continued efforts from GTI and others committed to football development in Nigeria, the future looks bright for the NPFL.
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Nigerian Football
Like what happened to Stores earlier, another Lagos club thrown out of the Nigerian League
Another Lagos club, 1472 FC, has been thrown out of Nigeria’s second-tier league, the Nigeria National League, for failure to honour three matches in the current season.
Crowd-pulling Stationery Stores suffered a similar fate 32 years ago when they were expelled from the Nigeria Professional League.
In a press release on Tuesday, the NFF announced that 1472 FC did not honour three matches during the current season.
The matches were against Abia Comets (Match 9), Dakkada FC (Match 53) and Ijele FC (Match 74).
The NNL relied on the league’s Article 14.11 to expel the club.
In the letter signed by the NNL’s Chief Operating Officer, Danlami Alanana, 1472 FC are also fined the sum of N5 million, with the consequence that the results of all their played matches have been nullified, and those yet to be played are cancelled.
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Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun has extolled the commitment and determination of Remo Stars Foot ball Club on its victory over Niger Tornadoes, describing it as unprecedented feat in the annals of Ogun State.
It would be recalled that the local football team won the first-ever Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) title with a 1-0 victory over Niger Tornadoes on Sunday, April 27.
In so doing, they become the first team in the state to win the Nigerian elite division league since the state was created on 3 February 1976.
Before the current feat, no team from the state had won the national league. The famous Abiola Babes, the rave of the 1980s, won the Challenge Cup in 1985 and 1987.
Governor Abiodun, in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Strategy, Hon. Kayode Akinmade, said the team has sustained the inherent first capacity Ogun State is known for, adding that their resilience and perseverance have paid off.
Governor Abiodun added that Remo Stars has consistently pushed for the best with enviable patriotic tendencies since its formation.
He said the level of the team’s dexterity and capacity earned it the 2024-2025 Nigerian Premier Football League title as well as it’s promotion to the elite league four years ago.
The Governor, therefore, implored other local clubs in Nigeria to emulate the degree of resilience and doggedness the team displayed to help in promoting Nigeria’s local league to enviable heights.
“It is my utmost delight that the age-long perseverance and consistency of the Remo Stars Football team have eventually paid off at the national level and to the admiration of every Nigerian, including our amiable President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“As the first privately-owned NPFL champions since 1996, which ceremoniously secured a place in the CAF Champions League, we commend the undiluted and unwavering determination of the players, the coaching formation, and the entire management.
“This is indeed a clear reflection of the profound trait of Ogun State as the first in all areas of success and our all-inclusive policy of transformation as enshrined in our ISEYA mantra,” the statement read.
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