Stakeholders Lament over Enyimba’s unproductive Management, Call for Gov. Otti’s Intervention
Critical stakeholders and lovers of Enyimba Football Club of Aba have passionately appealed to the Executive Governor of the state, His Excellency. Alex Chioma Otti to reconstitute the management of Peoples Elephants over their not too good performance over the years
It’s no longer news that Enyimba Football Club is facing significant problems including financial mismanagement, poor player welfare, logistics, and internal administrative conflicts.
These problems have led to poor on-pitch performance, a mass exodus of players, and a decline from the club’s former glory.
They listed some of the Key Issues in Enyimba FC to include; financial mismanagement lack of transparency, noting that despite generating significant revenue, the club has faced allegations of financial loopholes and a lack of accountability.
Poor Player Welfare: A primary concern has been the poor treatment of players, including delayed and unpaid match bonuses and salaries, and inadequate daily meal allowances (reportedly as low as ₦7,000 per day).
Substandard Logistics and Infrastructure: Players have reportedly endured grueling travel conditions, such as long bus trips for matches, and poor accommodation instead of decent hotels. The home ground has also faced issues preventing it from hosting international competitions.
Administrative Instability and Internal Politics: Political interference and a reported lack of synergy between key management figures, like past and current chairmen, have led to internal divisions and instability, sidelining professional management.
They lamented that I
Civil Servants are holding on to club fund thereby holding professionals to ransom which has led to delayed payment of sign on and transfer fees to players and their agents.
Poor Recruitment and High Players turn over: Watching Remo Stars against Enyimba recently at Gateway Stadium in Ogun State was too horrible to believe that some of those below average players can don Enyimba’s jersey.
“It’s utterly difficult to relay as the quality of players paraded by People’s Elephant are not better than some NLO Side. The activities of Civil Servants and some greedy Board Members have been reported to have led to a mass departure of first-team players recently around 22 players carried their luggage and left the club, and the management has to settle for the crumbs that left are behind. This, combined with a lack of strategic scouting and administrative interference in team selection, has weakened the squad depth.
A deep insight into the club revealed that the first season wasn’t bad as it is now because Ex international, Ifeanyi Ekwueme performed his role but now Enyimba International FC is sinking due to the aforementioned reasons. The club is currently occupying 9th position on the log amassing 23 points, 10 points adrift of league leader, Rivers United with a game at hand.
Deep investigation into the decline of the club’s fortunes from a reliable source in the club, has it that old people in the management who are hiding under the Chairman and Sporting Director like Team manager who has ran away and Chief of staff to the chairman, Sam Anozie are the ones affecting the growth of Enyimba International FC with their low mentalities and envying the people that have the genuine love of the club
Reacting to the stunning result, many supporters of the club have called for the re-constitution of the management team of the former African champions.
According to the fans, the 2024/2025 football season produced heartbreak result for them, as the club was eliminated from CAF Confederation Cup, President Federation Cup and is presently not in good position on the table to contest for the Nigerian Professional Football League title.
While some of the aggrieved fans are appreciating the spirited efforts of the two ex- internationals at the helms of affairs, Chairman and Sporting Director, Kanu Nwankwo and Ifeanyi Ekwueme who have been craving to make the club a truly professional club, some fans queried the intrusion of some Civil Servants and other board members who only target their financial benefits but leaving the two ex- footballers to the receiving end of the failure of the team.
They are therefore demanding that established stars should be brought in, while others are calling on Enyimba to effect payments of outstanding sign on and transfer fees of players Agents so as to encourage established stars to join the club.
They therefore called on the Abia State Governor, to step in and investigate their allegation with the view of bringing the team on track
