As you read this column, only one Nigerian club, Enyimba, are left in this year’s CAF Confederation Cup. The other three, Remo Stars, Enugu Rangers, and El-kanemi Warriors, have since fallen by the wayside. Having finished as first and runners up in the 2023/2024 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season, Enugu Rangers and Remo Stars represented Nigeria in the Champions league while Enyimba who came third, and Federation Cup winners El-Kanemi Warriors, took part in the Confederation Cup.
Unfortunately, all hopes that the quartet would redeem the image of the country by winning, or at least going far in their respective competitions were dashed early as both Remo Stars and El-kanemi Warriors crashed out at the first hurdle. The early elimination of the Warriors from Borno didn’t come as a big surprise to many because everyone knew that they lacked the capacity to compete at that level.
But it was so disheartening to see Remo Stars exit the Champions League in the first preliminary round again. For the second year in a row, they failed to scale the first hurdle. As one of the most organised private clubs in the country, much was expected from them. However, they once again suffered early elimination by AS FAR of Morocco.
To add insult to injury, Enugu Rangers also crashed out of the Champions League after losing 3-1 on aggregate to Angolan club Sagrada Esperanca. This wasn’t surprising because when the ‘Flying Antelopes’ struggled to win 1-0 in the first leg of the second preliminary round clash in Uyo, the danger ahead was obvious.
However, their die-hard supporters still hoped they would at least secure a goalless draw in the return leg to reach the group stage. Unfortunately, they lost 3-1 in Angola, which effectively ended their aspirations. The last time a Nigerian club reached the group stage in the Champions League was in 2019 when Lobi Stars against all odds achieved the feat. Since then, it has been one disappointment to another.
Therefore, only the former African Champions, Enyimba of Aba, who were drawn by in the first round of the Confederation Cup, are left to fly Nigeria’s flag in the continent. Even the ‘Peoples Elephants’ weren’t convincing in their performance because they had to win on penalties against a less endowed club, Étoile Filante de Ouagadougou, to reach the group stage.
Enyimba, who forced their opponents to a goalless draw in the first leg, couldn’t score at least a goal in the return leg in Uyo to win the tie in regulation time. Their performance was anything but satisfactory. So, many have said had it been Enyimba joined the race from the beginning, maybe they, too, would have crashed out long ago.
This is certainly not a very good commentary on the former African champions. But the truth is that the ‘Peoples Elephants’ have deliberately refused to grow even after their continental accomplishments in 2003 and 2004 when they won the Champions League back-to-back against North African opponents.
Well, it is only newcomers to Nigerian football who will feel seriously disappointed with the shameful outing of the NPFL clubs. For those of us who have been following proceedings in the domestic league, which produces Nigeria’s representatives in the continent, we have strong shocks to absorb the humiliation.
In fact, even before hostilities commenced, I was among those who raised the alarm that the NPFL representatives were planning to fail again. I am not a prophet of doom, but it was obvious from the way the clubs embarked on transfer merry-go-round. For instance, Enugu Rangers brought in nearly 15 new players to ‘beef’ their squad. El-Kanemi Warriors changed almost the entire team as if they had borrowed players to win the Federation Cup. Enyimba also didn’t resist the temptation to overhaul their squad. It was only Remo Stars that retained most of their players.
The truth is that CAF competitions may not be at the same level with the UEFA Champions League or Europa Cup, but still, it takes proper organisation to win the Champions League or Confederation Cup in Africa. Therefore, it will require a miracle for any Nigerian club to win a continental trophy again.
It is sad that our clubs can’t match the professionalism of North African clubs. It is indeed embarrassing that anytime Nigerian clubs are pitched against North African teams, there is usually serious panic. Most of the clubs suffer from an inferiority complex, so they lose even before the matches are played.
When clubs like BCC Lions of Gboko, Julius Berger of Lagos, Enyimba, Iwuanyanwu Nationale, and Kano Pillars stood tall against North African teams, the domestic league was filled to the brim with talented players. That was why Clemence Westerhof could confidently use home based players like Moses Kpakor, Daniel Amokachi, Alloy Agu, Ben Iroha, Uche Okechukwu, Ademola Adeshina, Ayo Ogunlana, Thompson Oliha and a host of others to prosecute the 1990 AFCON.
At the moment, the quality of the league is so poor that no talented player wants to stay and play in the NPFL again. They prefer to go to even smaller African countries where they are guaranteed better welfare packages. Presently, there is a mass exodus of Nigerian players to Benin Republic, Niger and even Sudan for greener pastures.
What is most worrisome is that those saddled with the responsibility of managing our football will do nothing about the present sporting disaster. It is as if nothing has happened. The clubs that have brought us shame again are already winning matches in the current NPFL season. Remo Stars, who were one of the first to crash out of the Champions League, are presently topping the NPFL table. Even El-Kanemi Warriors who just returned to the topflight are yet to lose a match. In fact, they are among the clubs that have recorded away victories.
A few days after they exited the Champions League, Enugu Rangers travelled to Lagos and picked their first away win of the season against newly promoted Ikorodu City. Rivers United, who have consistently disappointed in the continent, are also unbeaten in the new season.
The implication is that in the end, four out of these leading clubs will pick tickets to return to the continent for another show of shame. Nothing has been learnt, so nothing will change. It was Albert Einstein who said “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” May God have mercy on us.