Nigerian Football
RETURNING OGENE REFLECTS ON PLATEAU UNITED’S RELEGATION STRUGGLES
BY FISAYO DAIRO
Winners of 2017 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL), Plateau
United are one of the surprise names in the relegation zone of the 2018/19
league groups with just two rounds of matches remaining.
Plateau United, coached by Abdu Maikaba won just
one of their first seven league matches this season and have failed to
sufficiently recover from that early season lethargy, compared to what their
group leaders Akwa United (who also failed to win any of their first four
games) have done.
While Maikaba’s former side Akwa United have
already secured a place in the season-ending Super Six playoff, his current
side Plateau United, still occupy an inglorious position in the red zone with
dangers of the drop hovering over the hitherto beautiful skies of Jos.
Plateau welcomed back their first choice centre
back Elijah Ogene to the starting lineup in their Match Day 20 clash at fellow
relegation battlers Go Round on Thursday and he contributed immensely to their
1-1 draw.
“It feels very good to be back, I was out
of action after our game in Maiduguri (four weeks ago) when I fell sick. I
thank God I’m back and better now and thankful for the point we got in Omoku as
well,” said Ogene to www.npfl.ng
The Genesis
Ogene traced the genesis of his team’s struggles
this season to the initial absence of their Coach and the crowd disturbances
that led to their playing home games away. With their head coach Maikaba away
with the Nigeria Under 20s preparing for the Under 20 Africa Cup of Nations in
Niger Republic, the team endured a torrid start to the campaign.
A home draw to FC Ifeanyiubah on Match Day One
was trailed by crowd disturbance, which meant that the team was banished to
Ilorin and Lafia for their next two home games. The team struggled.
“It wasn’t easy at the beginning. We
started very badly and the banishment did not help us too as it meant we were
always on the road every two days.
“Thank God we started getting it right
especially in this second stanza and by the grace of God, we will escape the
relegation. That’s what we’re really fighting for now,” said Ogene.
Hope of glory in the face of demotion
In spite of their troubles, Ogene still believes
his side can take the Cup route to land a continental spot at the end of the
football season in Nigeria. With Nigeria’s four slots in CAF competitions
restored, three teams will qualify to represent the country from the league
while a fourth will emerge from the Cup winners.
The Port Harcourt-born defender who featured in
each of Plateau United’s games in the CAF Champions League and Confederation
Cup in 2018 says once they are successful with their bid to avoid relegation,
they will turn focus on the AITEO Cup.
“One thing about the season is this
unpredictable nature so we just want to fight it out and make sure we escape
relegation by May 26. After then, we have hopes that we will do well in the
AITEO Cup and we will do better in the Cup to get a Confederation Cup
ticket.”
The Tin City side, have an easy fixture on paper
when they welcome already relegated Yobe Desert Stars to Jos for Match Day 21
on Monday. Ogene however insists they have to be careful against the North
Easterners.
“That they have relegated doesn’t mean they
cannot cause problems so we will be ready to do our jobs professionally and
make sure we get the three points at stake,” he concluded.
The Nigeria Football Federation on Thursday inaugurated its Electoral Committee and Electoral Appeals Committee ahead of elections into its Executive Committee for the 2026–2030 term.
NFF President Ibrahim Musa Gusau performed the inauguration at the federation’s secretariat in Abuja, charging members to carry out their responsibilities with integrity, neutrality and professionalism.
Gusau urged the committees to discharge their duties without bias, stressing the importance of credibility in a process that will shape the future leadership of Nigerian football.
Speaking on behalf of the committees, Matthew Burka’a assured stakeholders that the exercise would meet the highest standards of transparency and fairness.
“We will approach this task with the seriousness it deserves. On behalf of all the members, I assure the NFF, football-loving Nigerians and the world at large that we are going to conduct a free, fair, credible and acceptable election,” Burka’a said.
He added that the committees were mindful of the global attention on the process, including from FIFA and the Confederation of African Football, and pledged to deliver what could become a benchmark for future elections within and beyond football administration.
Committee Composition
The Electoral Committee comprises Matthew Burka’a (SAN), Alhaji Babagoni Grema, Bature Musa, Ayibaye Peter Great Temedie and Akogun Olugbenga Omole, with Arinze Azubuike Anughele and Abayomi Akin Omoyimi serving as alternate members.
The Electoral Appeals Committee is made up of Hon. Justice C. J. Aneke, Benjamin Sati and Professor Abdulmalik Awwal, with FIFA Emmanuel Dada Obafemi and Ayi Ekpo Ukpayam listed as alternates.
In line with NFF statutes, the General Secretary, Mohammed Sanusi, will serve as secretary to both committees.
Election Date Fixed
The NFF also confirmed that elections into its Executive Committee will take place on September 26, 2026, in Lafia, Nasarawa State.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by key stakeholders, including Philip Shaibu, NFF First Vice President Felix Anyansi-Agwu, Executive Committee members Silas Agara and George Aluo, alongside senior management and staff of the federation.
With preparations now formally underway, attention will turn to the electoral process as stakeholders await what has been promised as a transparent and credible exercise to usher in a new leadership era for Nigerian football.
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Nigeria’s senior national team, the Super Eagles, will rekindle rivalries with Poland and Portugal in high-profile international friendlies scheduled for June, marking only the second time the Nigerian team will meet the two nations at the senior level.
The fixtures come on the back of Nigeria’s recent international outings in Antalya, Turkey, where they defeated Iran and held World Cup-bound Jordan to a 2-2 draw, signalling renewed optimism within the squad despite missing out on qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
According to the Nigeria Football Federation, the Super Eagles will first take on Poland on June 3 at the PGE Narodowy Stadium in Warsaw, before travelling to Portugal for a second clash on June 10 at a venue yet to be confirmed.
Renewing Rivalries
Nigeria’s previous encounter with Poland remains a positive memory. On March 23, 2018, the Super Eagles secured a 1-0 victory in Wroclaw, courtesy of a 61st-minute penalty converted by Victor Moses after he was fouled in the box. The match served as preparation for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
However, their only senior meeting with Portugal tells a different story. On November 17, 2022, Nigeria suffered a heavy 4-0 defeat to the European side in Lisbon, with Bruno Fernandes scoring twice, while Gonçalo Ramos and João Mário added further goals in a dominant display.
That result remains one of Nigeria’s most crushing defeats the Super Eagles have ever suffered since the 1998 5-1 loss to the Netherlands.
Portugal’s World Cup Tune-Up
The upcoming clash will also serve as a crucial preparatory fixture for the Portugal national football team, who will head into the game as part of their final build-up to the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
For Nigeria, however, the matches represent an opportunity to test themselves against elite opposition and rebuild confidence after missing out on the global showpiece.
Beyond the June friendlies, the Super Eagles are also scheduled to participate in the Unity Cup Tournament in London from May 26 to 30, where they will defend their title. The traditional teams of the tournament include Ghana and Jamaica.
The combination of competitive fixtures and high-level friendlies is expected to provide the head coach and technical crew with a broader platform to assess players and refine tactics ahead of future international engagements.
With mixed results in recent outings but flashes of promise, the upcoming matches against Poland and Portugal could prove pivotal in shaping Nigeria’s next phase on the international stage.
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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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