… as ‘People’s Elephant’ takes on Mozambique’s Black Bulls
It was Robert Colier, an American author, who once said, “Success is the sum of small efforts repeated day in and day out.”
Enyimba Football Club of Aba is the first and only Nigerian club to have won a continental trophy, since the inception of club football in the country.
As the CAF Confederation Africaine de Football (CAF) Confederation Cup group stage is set to commence on November 26 – 27, and Enyimba Football Club of Aba, will be kick-starting the quest to lift the second most coveted clubs football trophy with a match against the Black Bulls of Mozambique, the question jostling in minds of many Nigerian fans is will the ‘People’s Elephant’ will be able to repeat its 2003 feat.
In 2003, Nigeria’s Enyimba won the African Champions League title, beating Ismaily SC of Egypt.
In the first round on April 13, 2003, Enyimba defeated Satellite FC of Guinea, winning 3–0 in Aba. In the second leg in Conakry, Enyimba thrashed the Guineans 5–2. The Peoples’ Elephant won the tie 8–2 on aggregate. And like it is said, the rest is now history.
Enyimba booked their spot in the money spinning group with 3-2 win over Etoile Filante of Burkina Faso via a penalty shootout in the second leg of preliminary round played at Godwin Akpabio stadium in Uyo.
The People’s Elephant remains Nigeria’s most successful club with eight Nigerian Premier League trophies, and two CAF Champions League cups in their cabinet.
Nevertheless, the club is yet to taste the sweet savor of lifting the continent’s second-tier club competition trophy, just as no Nigerian club has been able to achieve the feat.
The highest a Nigerian has gone in this cadre of Africa’s club competition is semi-final stage by Dolphins, now Rivers United FC.
Nigerians are expecting the Yemi Olarenwaju led Enyimba FC to rekindle the never-say-die and winning spirit of the Kadri Ikhana led 2003 team and navigate the group stage and possibly the finals.
Philip Adefioye, a sport analyst with FRCN speaking on Enyimba’s chances in the competition, said that though the club is a household name in Nigeria football and Africa, the poor management of the country’s league might not work in favour of the club.
“Enyimba is not a pushover team, if the Abia State government can help the team to prepare well by giving them all that they require for the competition, they will be able to scale through to the knockout stage, and at that stage anything can happen,” he said.
Adefioye expressed worries that teams such as Zamalek, who are the defending champions, and other tough clubs in Africa are in contention, coupled with poor preparations common with Nigerian teams, it will be a tough one for the team.
“If Enyimba prepares well, they will definitely qualify from the group stage,” he noted.
Chima Nwosu, a football enthusiast, believes Enyimba will not be able to repeat their 2003 feat because of the poor standard of Nigeria’s premier league is not encouraging, and may not allow club to excel in the competition.
“It’s a no, the reason is the standard of our league, it’s not good at all,” he said.
Besides, he decried the fact that football fans in the country were denied visuals of the matches to accurately rate the team.
However, Kelechi Bernard, a veteran sports commentator does not think the Aba based-club has what it takes to repeat their 2003 feat to lift the CAF’s second-tier trophy.
Back in 2003 and 2004, Orji Uzor-Kalu was a pillar of support behind Enyimba FC which helped to clinch Africa’s most coveted club football trophy back to back.
The face of Enyimba changed immediately Orji Uzor-Kalu took over the as the governor of Abia State. He influenced the pattern of hiring coaches and buying of best legs in Nigerian premier league.
In 2001, Kalu ensured that Emeka Nwana (Ayaya) was bought from Ragers International of Enugu after watching mesmerize Enyimba defence.
The governor made sure the club coughed out the sum of N1 million, a record signing in Nigerian league for bring Ayaya to the club.
After the signing of Ayaya, Enyimba became a Mecca of some sort for Nigerian players who were ambitious.
Players such as Vincent Enyiama, Victor Ezeji, Onyekachi Okonkwo, David Tyavkase, Obinna Nwaneri, Dele Aiyenugba, and Muri Ogunbiyi, among others were delightful to watch in the blues of Enyimba.
Whether Enyimba will repeat its 2003 and 2004 feats goes beyond what happens on the pitch, how the state government and the team’s management goes about preparing the team will go a long way to how well the club would do.
Alex Oti, the incumbent governor of Abia State must as a matter of fact come out and show his support for the team by making fund available and ensuring the players’ and coahes welfare is taken care of.
The draw of the 2024/25 TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup group stage has Zamalek SC, the defending champiuons in Group D, have been drawn alongside their compatriots Al Masry, former African champions Enyimba from Nigeria and Mozambique’s Black Bulls.
Group C, has USM Alger of Algeria, ASEC Mimosas of Ivory Coast, ASC Jaraaf of Senegal and Orapa United from Botswana.
Group B, has RS Berkane, of Morocco, Stade Malien of Mali, Stellenbosch of South African, and CD Lunda Sul of Angolan.
While in Group A, are Simba SC of Tanzania, CS Sfaxien from Tunisia, CS Constantine of Algerian, and Bravo do Maquis of Angola.
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