Nigerian Football
NPFL PLAYOFF: OUR FITNESS OVERWHELMED FC IFEANYIUBAH, SAYS LOBI’S OGENYI
BY FISAYO DAIRO
For the thousands of
spectators that watched the last fixture on Day 1 of the 2019 NPFL Championship
Playoffs between last season winners, Lobi Stars and 2018/19 season’s surprise
package FC Ifeanyiubah, the Benue side stood out for the incredible
fitness level of their players
Lobi Stars recorded the highest score margin of the opening match day at the
Agege Stadium in Lagos on Tuesday, winning 3-1 over the dazed Anambra Warriors
in a game played under floodlights.
Right from the very beginning when Samad Kadiri raced clear to finish Kelly
Kester’s pass with just about ninety seconds on the clock, Lobi’s players did
not stop running even until the final minute.
Right back John Lazarus was at his overlapping best, midfielders Kester and
Alex Aghahowa harassed their opponents with incredible sprints throughout the
contest while Kadiri and his strike partner Sikiru Alimi ran across the front
with gusto and verve.
FC Ifeanyiubah’s young side responded at some point but in the end could not
match the physicality and high tempo pressing of the 2018/19 CAF Champions
League campaigners.
Head coach Evans Ogenyi believes that his team’s display should not be
unexpected considering the level they came from at the CAF Champions League.
“You know we just came back from the continent even though it’s
unfortunate that we couldn’t go beyond the group stage but then we’ve been able
to restore Nigeria’s second slot in the CAF competitions and the experience was
valuable,” said Ogenyi to www.npfl.ng
“If you’re not fit, you cannot play at that level. So we’ve been servicing
all areas of fitness because we know that at the end of the day, it will
actually take us far.”
In “servicing” their fitness, Lobi Stars had camped in Ijebu-Ode,
near Lagos for the past twelve days and the closed camping system has helped
them to condition their players in the right frame of mind for the
season-ending competition.
Ogenyi, who served as the first assistant coach under the late Solomon Ogbeide
and is now in his third stint as head coach of his state club, also praised his
players for the victory over FC Ifeanyiubah, insisting that the 2016 Federation
Cup winners were not easy to deal with.
He continued: “It’s not an easy win. Any team that has qualified for this
stage is not a pushover.
“For you to qualify for this playoff, you should be congratulated and I
told my players at half time that we needed to up our game because at the end
of the competition, goals permutations can come to play.
“I saw 2-2 (between Pillars and Akwa United) and I saw 1-0 (Enyimba vs
Rangers) so if you have the opportunity to win, you need to win convincingly so
I give kudos to my boys for raising the bar in the second and we scored two
more goals to record the biggest win today (Tuesday).”
Lobi’s second game in the round-robin tournament will come up against Rangers,
a fellow continental campaigner on Thursday. The Flying Antelopes from Enugu
have found Lobi Stars a tough nut to crack in recent matches and Ogenyi is
hoping his side builds on Tuesday’s win.
“You must take each match as it comes, we have played ourselves before and
at this stage the result could go either way but then we hope to build on what
we have started on Tuesday,” said the former Bayelsa United and Jigawa
Golden Stars head coach.
Rivers United head coach and technical manager, Finidi George, has praised young defender Ochiobi Elias following his outstanding performance in the club’s hard-fought 1-0 victory over Niger Tornadoes in a rescheduled Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) fixture on Wednesday at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, Port Harcourt.
The left-back, who played the full 90 minutes, was instrumental in helping Rivers United maintain a clean sheet, marking one of his most confident outings since his promotion to the senior squad.
Finidi, visibly impressed after the match, revealed that his decision to give Elias a full game was driven by trust in the player’s potential, despite his limited minutes earlier in the season.
“I think he did well. Normally, we should have been bringing him in gradually — maybe 15 minutes before giving him a 90-minute match,” Finidi said. “But I trust him, and I’ve spoken to him. He should be relaxed, calm down, and play his football.”
The coach also highlighted a near-miss moment when Elias came close to scoring late in the game, a chance Finidi felt could have crowned his stellar performance.
“I think today he would have scored a goal at the last moment, but he still wanted to square the ball, look for somebody,” Finidi added. “I’m quite happy with his performance, and we will keep encouraging him to do better. I am very, very pleased.”
Elias, a product of the Rivers United youth team that won the NPFL Youth League in 2024, has been gradually integrated into the first team under Finidi’s guidance. His performance on Wednesday is seen as a major step forward in his development and a sign of his growing confidence.
The youngster is now expected to retain his place in the squad as Rivers United travel to Aba this Sunday for a crucial NPFL clash against Enyimba.
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Strategic partners of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on the President Federation Cup, GTI Group, have congratulated the football governing body on the successful hosting of its Annual General Meeting (AGM) held last weekend in Ibadan, Oyo State.
In a press statement issued on Friday in Lagos, GTI’s Head of Media and Publicity, Andrew Ekejiuba, lauded the NFF Board under the leadership of Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau for the smooth conduct of the AGM and the significant progress made in Nigerian football development.
According to Ekejiuba, the Ibadan meeting reflected Gusau’s commitment to engaging stakeholders and strengthening unity across the football ecosystem.
“GTI Group congratulates the Nigeria Football Federation on the successful outcome of its Annual General Meeting held in Ibadan, which the President of NFF, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau, used the occasion to demonstrate his commitment to engaging positively with football stakeholders, including state football associations, clubs and fans,” he said.
“His interactions with the various groups at the AGM showcased his impactful leadership and dedication to promoting Nigerian football and fostering a collaborative environment.”
Ekejiuba also highlighted the Super Falcons’ recent achievements and the growth of domestic competitions, particularly the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), as key milestones recorded under Gusau’s leadership. GTI serves as a strategic partner of the NPFL, supporting its structural and commercial transformation.
The statement further expressed appreciation to Governor Seyi Makinde and the people of Oyo State for their hospitality and support during the AGM. Ekejiuba noted the governor’s commendation of the improved standard of refereeing in the NPFL under the administration of Otunba Gbenga Elegbeleye.
However, GTI also used the opportunity to express disappointment over the early exit of Kwara United and Abia Warriors from the CAF Confederation Cup, urging Nigerian clubs to raise their competitive standards on the continental stage.
“It is unfortunate that both Kwara United and Abia Warriors crashed out at the preliminary phase of the CAF Confederation Cup last weekend. This clearly shows that Nigerian clubs must raise their game in order to compete favourably,” the statement read.
“The future remains bright, but that is why GTI has been calling on Corporate Nigeria to invest more in our football, just as is done in thriving leagues across the world.”
Ekejiuba also extended words of encouragement to Remo Stars and Rivers United, who are still flying Nigeria’s flag in the CAF Champions League.
“We encourage them to dig deep and remain focused to ensure successful campaigns. They should give Nigerian football fans something to cheer this season because we understand how demanding continental competitions can be,” he concluded.
GTI Group reaffirmed its continued commitment to working closely with the NFF to advance football development, promote professionalism, and attract sustainable investment into the Nigerian game.
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The Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) has queried Warri Wolves following reports of the suspension of their head coach, Aluma Napoleon, faulting the club’s failure to comply with established procedures for contracting and registering technical officials.
In a letter titled “Notarization and Registration of Contracts” and signed by the NPFL Chief Operating Officer, Davidson Owumi, the league body directed the Delta-based club to regularize all contractual documentation with its technical and management staff in line with NPFL regulations.
The NPFL’s letter stated:
“Information reaching us from the media space suggests that the Delta State Sports Commission has suspended your head coach, Mr. Aluma Napoleon, with immediate effect.”
Citing Sections B, Articles 6 and 11 of the NPFL 2025/26 Framework and Rules, the league reminded Warri Wolves that all clubs are required to submit notarized contracts of their officials for registration and record purposes.
“You are, however, in breach of these sections as Warri Wolves FC have not submitted the contracts of its officials to the League Board. You are hereby requested, within twenty-four hours of receiving this letter, to submit all relevant contracts of your technical team, including that of the assumed suspended head coach, Mr. Napoleon Aluma, to the NPFL Secretariat,” the letter warned.
The NPFL further cautioned that failure to comply could lead to sanctions, including restricting Warri Wolves’ technical crew from accessing the bench in subsequent league matches.
“Note that failure to comply with this instruction will lead to the restriction of your technical team from accessing the technical area in future NPFL matches,” the league stated.
In a related statement to NPFL Media, COO Davidson Owumi stressed that the Warri Wolves case was not isolated, adding that all clubs yet to register the contracts of their technical officials must do so without delay.
“I must admonish all coaches to get hold of their contracts and lodge a report with the NPFL when there is a violation of the terms. It is the responsibility of the aggrieved to petition the league at all times,” Owumi emphasized.
The NPFL has been tightening administrative controls in recent seasons to ensure transparency, professionalism, and adherence to contractual obligations across all participating clubs.
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