Gov Otti Tasks Kanu to Help Enyimba Regain Lost Status in Africa

Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia 

Nigeria’s football legend, Nwankwo Kanu, has been appointed to play supervisory role in the affairs or Enyimba International Football Club of Aba. 

Abia State Commissioner for Information, Mr. Okey Kanu, made this known while briefing journalists on the outcome of the maiden meeting of the newly inaugurated State Executive Council. 

He said that the appointment of the former Nigeria international and Olympic gold medalist was approved by SEC with the aim to strengthen the 2022/2023 NPL champions to conquer the continent once again. 

Kanu had last month visited Governor Alex Otti during which the former Arsenal star congratulated him for emerging the fifth democratically elected governor of Abia and pledged to offer his services to help develop sports in his home state. 

Enyimba would lead Nigeria’s charge at the 2023/2024 edition of the CAF Champions League competition, which was last won by a Nigerian club in 2004 following Enyimba’s successful defence of the trophy they won in 2003. Since then, the CAF Champions League diadem has remained a bridge too far for Nigerian clubs. 

But Governor Otti wants to end the long wait and has already tasked Enyimba’s technical crew and players to start preparations in earnest to make Nigeria’s most successful club side regain their continental status by bringing back the elusive CAF Champions League trophy. 

Otti gave the challenge at the reception organised for Enyimba FC after they emerged champions of the NPL season-ending Super 6 tournament in Lagos last month. 

The governor, who was represented by his Deputy, Engr Ikechukwu Emetu, assured the club that government would provide every support needed to make Enyimba bounce back as continental champions. 

Otti said that his government was aware of the onerous task ahead of the People’s Elephant to conquer other clubs in Africa’s most prestigious club competition. North African club sides still remain the most dominant in the competition. 

Apart from promising to support the Enyimba gaffer, Finidi George and his boys to do Abia and Nigeria proud, Otti also said that more players would be recruited to fortify the club while the Enyimba Stadium Aba would be renovated to meet international standards. 

The new Abia chief executive further assured the state’s darling club that the worst days were over for them in terms of welfare, saying that he would clear all the outstanding salaries and allowances owed them by the immediate past administration.