On Sunday, June 23, 2024, Rangers International of Enugu was crowned the 2023/2024 Nigeria Premier Football League season having won the title with a game to spare after their 2-0 defeat of Bendel Insurance in their MatchDay 37 game played at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu.
The icing on the cake was the 2-1 away win on the final day in Jos where the trophy was finally presented to the winners as they secured their eighth title. They last won a title eight years ago.
Return of traditional clubs
In the past, the traditional clubs winning the league have been Rangers, Shooting Stars of Ibadan, Stationary Stores, and Bendel Insurance before the emergence of Enyimba International of Aba, who took the league by storm and have been consistently becoming the first Nigeria side to win the coveted CAF Champions League, winning it back-to-back in 2003 and 2004, winning also nine NPFL titles, a record by any club in the country.
Since last season, clubs like Insurance, Rangers, and Shooting have been trying to regain their stronghold on the league but they cannot cope with the firepower of Enyimba who won their record nine titles with Shooting Stars and Rangers failing to make much impact except Insurance, who played in the Super 6 playoff after playing the whole season without losing a game.
They later won the Federation Cup to secure their slot on the continent. This season, with Rangers winning the title, Shooting Stars finished fourth, just a point adrift of Enyimba who secured the final continental slot on the last day of the campaign.
Final Day Drama
The final day of the campaign was full of drama with four clubs, Akwa United, Bayelsa United, Sporting Lagos and Doma United, all fighting so hard to escape relegation with all of them still optimistic of retaining their top-flight status while on the other hand, Remo Stars, Enyimba and Shooting Stars working so hard to join champions, Rangers, on the continent.
For Bayelsa United to escape the drop, they must do the impossible away against Insurance who only lost one game at home in two years, a 3-1 loss against Niger Tornadoes, with Sporting Lagos targeting their first win of the season against Shooting Stars at the Adamasingba Stadium, Ibadan while hoping that Insurance will help them by defeating Bayelsa United.
Akwa United have their destiny at hand as they are playing at home against Rivers United, who has nothing to play for again as they are already out of the continent.
Akwa United and Bayelsa both secured the needed victory with Doma and Sporting Lagos, two privately owned clubs, joining Heartland and Gombe United in the murky relegation water.
Remo becoming powerhouse
The only surviving private club, Remo Stars, for the third season qualified to play on the continent after finishing second behind Rangers for another shot at the Champions League title.
The club, founded 14 years ago, qualified for the NPFL for the first time in 2016, but like every other new team, went back to the lower cadre immediately before returning in 2021.
According to the owner of the club, Kunle Soname, they have been able to learn their lessons and the main objective would be to consolidate in the elite division before thinking of another thing.
Speaking with our correspondent after their last return, the former Executive Chairman of Ikosi-Isheri Local Council in Lagos State said they will aim for a better position in three to four years. “This is our third attempt in the premier league.
In the first attempt, we came up and went down immediately. The second attempt we came up and went down immediately so our objective for this year is clear, we must not be relegated,” he said at the time. “That is what we want now, to just maintain our status. In three to four years, we can aspire for something else.
You see that’s the problem with Nigerians, we don’t consolidate before we try to move forward. You put both feet on the ground before you look for how to jump but we just come and you expect us to be the number one, how is that possible?”
However, just a year after that statement, the club already became a household name as they already qualified for the CAF Confederation Cup two seasons ago, finished second last campaign for their first shot at the CAF Champions League and this season, the club also finished second as they aim to scale pass the first qualifying round of the CAF competition.
It was most unfortunate that two other privately owned clubs in the league, Doma United and Sporting Lagos, failed to maintain their NPFL status as they were both relegated on the final day of the just concluded season.
Doma United gained promotion to the NPFL before the start of the 2022/2023 season and finished fifth in their group during their baptism of fire in the elite division.
The club started this season like a house on fire and at some point, one of the contenders for a continental spot after the first half of the season, as they stayed in the top five with the eventual winner of the league, Rangers occupying the eighth position.
The fortune of the club however changed in the second half of the campaign leading to their relegation to the lower division. For Lagos-based sporting, it was a sad end for a team who dreamt of winning the title at the first attempt after gaining promotion.
The club’s Chairman, Godwin Enakhena, disclosed this during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sidelines of the club’s strong beginning in the 2023/2024 NPFL season after dispatching Gombe 2-0 in their first game of the campaign.
He said; “The target for us is to win the league, we want to win it, and we have been drumming that for people to hear. “Who says it is not possible? Ocean Boys of Port Harcourt have done it, and some other clubs abroad have also done it. “Winning the league is achievable.
We want to play on the continental level come next season, and I think we can do that. We have put together some quality players that can make the difference at the end of the day.”
The club made several statements in the League with different Matchday experiences at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena in Lagos. However, everything ended on a sour note as they have been relegated to the NNL.
Sober moment for private club investment
According to one of the directors of newly promoted Ikorodu City, Tobi Adepoju, the relegation of the two teams is a sober moment.
“It’s sad and heartbreaking to see two private clubs (Doma United and Sporting Lagos) relegated,” he said as his club would be representing Lagos State in the NPFL next season.
“The NPFL ecosystem needs more private clubs to push business reforms, but we all know it’s a tough job to compete among 17 government clubs.
“The Clubs Owners should not give up, they should review the season and get back as soon as possible. I also know setbacks could be tough to overcome, but they must overcome it and bounce back.
“Remo Stars promoted and relegated twice before they found stability in the NPFL. They also spent 4+ seasons in the NNL. Private clubs must find their motivation in the face of setbacks.
“It’s scary to see private clubs not surviving the NPFL storms, but Rome was not built in a day, with consistent conversation the NPFL will get to a level where all clubs can compete based on football reasons only without politics and sentiment.”
Ilechukwu 3rd time lucky
The title-winning coach with Rangers, Fidelis Ilechukwu was this time around third time lucky after missing out on top position on two occasions with MFM and Plateau United, finishing second.
According to the coach after winning the title, said: “This is a great day for all of us in Rangers and we give God the glory.
This is a victory for the government and people of Enugu state who supported us through thick and thin till we got to where we are today as champions of the Nigeria Premier Football League.
We hope to get a few legs to add to this team to challenge for both domestic and continental honours next season effectively.”
The highs of the season
One of the high points of the campaign will be the return of the NPFL on television. Before the start of the just ended season, the NPFL board signed a five-year deal worth N6bn with StarTimes to bring the country’s elite league back on television.
The fans were able to watch games even though more must be done as there is a need to show more live games in the season.
While appraising the season, PR Manager, StarTimes Nigeria, Lazarus Ibeabuchi, said: “The league this season has experienced a positive turnaround and more interest from sports-loving fans. And it is a big boost for our league.
It shows the benefits of bringing the league on TV and how broadcast companies are key stakeholders in shaping audience interest.”