Record 8th Title: Dear Enyimba, Are You Ready To Get Things Right?

No one else comes close, at least for now. They've left Rangers behind and as I type this paragraph, they're the undisputed king of the Nigeria Professional Football League, NPFL.

Founded by Jerry Amadi Enyeazu in November, 1976, In their first season in the top division, Enyimba finished 13th out of 16 clubs, winning just five out of 30 games with a goal difference 25–36. In the following season they won eight games but still finished 15th with 36 points, just one point short from escaping relegation behind Stationery Stores, and were relegated to second level for the 1992 season.

Enyimba then stayed in the second level for the next two seasons before winning promotion in 1993, finishing first with 29 wins out of 46 games, winning a record 96 points with a goal difference 64–25, with most goals scored and fewest goals conceded in the 24-team league.

The fortune of the club changed in the early 2000 as the Aba Millionaires won seven league titles spanning over 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2010 and 2015.

When Abdulrahman Bashir, pulled the trigger from way out at the Agege Township Stadium to ensure a 3-0 win over Akwa Utd in the last day of the NPFL Championship Playoff, Usman Ab'dallah knew it, that was it, history has been written, Enyimba have their name crested on the NPFL title.

For the 8th time in history, the ribbon on the NPFL trophy is blue. If there are doubt about who will write such history book first, then, you couldn't have doubted Enyimba but can the People's Elephant now get over the professionalism barrier witnessed by every NPFL Club side.

With the largest fan base in Nigeria, most titles won, first Nigerian club side to win the CAF Champions League and the Super Cup, the paparazzi that comes with Enyimba makes someone wonder why the Abia based side find it difficult to do the basics of running a professional club side.

I was at the Agege stadium, for the final day of the NPFL Championship Playoffs and I sat to talk with a senior colleague, I call him Amos CP after the Enyimba vs Akwa Utd game, we talked at length about the problems of the NPFL and possible solutions.
We came to the realisation that there is little the LMC can do due to the nature of the Nigerian system.

That said, for Enyimba, the biggest brand in Nigeria football, paying attention to every details in football management matters.

Some quick questions:

Are the individuals in charge of Enyimba seeing the club beyond being owned by the Abia state government??
Are Enyimba taking a huge look into branding in football??
Are they ready to harness the huge fan base the club enjoys and know the worth of fans engagement??
Are they ready to take sports business by its horn at the club??

Loads of question to ask, few or no answer I'd get. The onus is on Enyimba, they have the most league titles, they are leading the multitude, can they now lead in the professionalism aspect and tick all boxes??!!

For reference purposes, little known Gbagada FC in the NLO have a sleeve sponsorship on their Jersey. Oh Enyimba, even Gbagada FC players dream of playing in the biggest club in the land.

Little things matters, for all of Enyimba's pedigree and history, the club still finds it difficult to get sponsorship. This isn't rocket science but sponsorship should be the least thing for Enyimba to achieve.

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Do the right thing, make research surveys, engage the right stakeholders, woo private investors, the history and class is their for you to key into. Enyimba is not just a football club but an institution for those who know it.

Enyimba leads on the reference point as per number of league titles won. It is time to lead every other Nigerian club side on how to run a robust and all round professional outfit