Where the day and month are identical, the dates are considered special or significant for various reasons. In numerology, dates like 12/12 – with the repetition of numbers create a sense of symmetry and balance,which can be appealing to those who appreciate order and harmony. While the significance of identical day and month dates can vary across cultures and belief systems, they often share a common thread of representing new beginnings,spiritual growth and celebrations.
At Enyimba International Football Club, 12/12 is about celebrations..it is a date etched in the history of the club, nay Nigerian football as the day the over 3-decade long jinx of perennial failure of Nigerian club sides to win Africa’s premier club football competition – The African Club Champions Cup/ CAF Champions League – was broken. It was achieved by Enyimba FC on a biting cold friday night,December 12, 2003 in Ismailia, Egypt.And historically repeated on a breezy Sunday night in Abuja,Nigeria on December 12, 2004. It’s more like thunder striking twice on the same spot, or better put, on the same date.
For 35 successive years,Nigerian clubs entered the tortuous journey for honours in CAF’s flagship club competition. And came short,over and again.From 1968, when a formidable Stationery Stores kicked off against Cape Coast Dwarfs of Ghana,to 2002 when a naive Enyimba FC side,on its debut campaign came short by one on aggregate score against ASEC Abidjan of Cote d’Ivoire at the U J Esuene Stadium Calabar – a designated home for the Aba-based side for that continental campaign. In the 35 -year period of trophy drought in the competition, Nigeria had a record number – 17 clubs take turns to have a shot at glory for the country.
THE TABLE OF NIGERIAN REPRESENTATION ( 1968 – 2002)
Stationery Stores (3): ’68 , ’70 , ’93
Enugu Rangers (7): ’71, ’75, 76, ’78, ’82, ’83, ’85.
WNDC Ibadan (1): ’72
Mighty Jets (1): ’73
Bendel Insurance (2): ’78, ’80
Water Corporation (1): ’77
Racca Rovers (1): ’79
IICC hooting Stars (4): ’81, ’84, “96, ’99
New Nigeria Bank (1): ’86
Leventis United (1): ’87
Iwuanyawu Nationale (5):’88, ’89, ’90, ’91, ’94
Julius Berger (2): ’92,’. 2001
BCC Lions (1): ’95
Udoji United (1): ’97
Eagles Cement (1): ’98
Lobi Stars (1): 2000
Enyimba FC (1): 2002
From 1968 to 2002 these Nigerian clubs played 204 matches; won 94, drew 33, lost 77, scored 307 goals and conceded 246 goals. In that period, covering 35 campaigns,four spirited attempts ended in the final,however all four finals ended in defeat.
ENUGU RANGERS,featuring towering goalkeeper Emmanuel Okala, Captain and defence anchor – Christian Chukwu, Harrison Mecha, Mathias Obianika and others battled their way to the final in 1975, but lost the two-legged final 1-0 away in Conakry,and 2-1 in Lagos ,to Hafia FC of Guinea. 3-1 it ended on aggregate score.
Nine years later, another traditional Nigerian club side – Shooting Stars parading seasoned campaigners – Muda Lawal, Felix Owolabi, an ageing legend – Segun Odegbami, the new kid on the block, Rashidi Yekini, goalkeeper Raymond King and others failed to scale the final hurdle in 1984, losing both legs to Zamalek SC of Egypt 2-0 in Cairo,and 1-0 in Lagos, Nigeria to finish as runner-up on 3-0 aggregate loss.
In 1988, a privately owned and funded club – Iwuanyanwu Nationale, brimming with the immense talent of Mike Obiku, Samson Ozogula, Friday Ekpo, Thompson Oliha , Ghanaian goalkeeper Edward Ansah and co took the continent by storm, racing to the final with some breathtaking football passage of play. However, what had all the trappings of a fairytale end had it’s copybook blotted in the final loss to Algeria’s Entente de Setif. The Owerri-based side had taken a 1-0 first leg win in Nigeria to Constantine,Algeria but were walloped 4-0 in the 2nd leg to end a debut campaign in second place after a 4-1 aggregate score loss.
1996 presented another crack at the trophy, as SHOOTING STARS packed with goalkeeper Abiodun Baruwa, hard-as-nail defender, Ajibade Babalade, Duke Udi, Patrick Mancha etc in their ranks reached another final, against 1984 foes and previous conquerors – Zamalek SC of Egypt. A 2-1 loss in Cairo was cancelled with a 2-1 win in Ibadan to send the tie to penalties after a 3-3 aggregate score. However a 5-4 loss on penalties added to the sequence of losses in the final by Nigerian clubs in the competition.
In Nigeria, the word – Elusive, became synonymous with the African Club Champions Cup/CAF Champions League trophy. It became a topical issues in football circles in Nigeria. Football seminars and stakeholders interactive sessions were held , TV sports programmes harped on it, Newspaper sports columnists wrote extensively on it. Recommendations were made, solutions were proffered. But as they say, The devil is in the detail.
Sports stakeholders and enthusiasts were unanimous in questioning the quality of champions that emerged from the domestic league and represented the country in CAF’s top tier competition. Hence the introduction of the Super Four championship playoffs, to have the top four clubs on the table compete on a neutral ground – devoid of the intimidation of home fans ,instigated crowd troubles and boardroom points – was seen a welcome development and the solution to better representation in the continent. Lobi Stars, Julius Berger and Enyimba won the Super Four League Championship playoffs in 1999, 2000 and 2001 respectively, but it was scrapped for not achieving the immediate target of Nigerian clubs reaching the later stages in the continent, among sundry reasons
Enter Enyimba: The displeasure of missing out on the financial larges that accrue from reaching the lucrative group stage of the CAF Champions League in 2002 where every goal scored added $1,000 and a win $10,000 to the club’s coffers, enroute to the final with an eye on winning the prize money – a mouthwatering sum of $1,000,000, was palpable and scuttled the projection of the financier of the club and Governor of Abia State, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu, who had his ego bruised after he had bragged about bringing the elusive trophy home at the first time of asking.
The disappointment of losing 5-4 on aggregate to ASEC Abidjan in the second round of the competition was only partly assuaged by the team’s impressive run to retain the domestic league title and earn a return ticket to the CAF Champions League. It presented the opportunity to make amends and put to good use the experience garnered from the previous ill-fated campaign. The pitfalls of 2002 were clearly identified and swiftly addressed ahead of the 2003 season.
1. Governor Kalu set the target of going all the way and backed it with financial and logistical support. His charisma and hands-on approach set the tone for success at club.
2. The Boardroom squabble that led to the Chairman -Felix Anyansi Agwu’s resignation on the eve of the 2002 CAFCL ouster, was resolved. The Chairman received the financier’s vote of confidence, had his administrative power strengthened, and access code granted for a direct line to the seat of power.
3. The appointment of Kadiri Ikhana ,a man with name recognition in football circles in Nigeria and Africa. First for his playing exploits in the colours of the Green Eagles at AFCON 1980 which Nigeria won and with Bendel Insurance in the domestic and continental planes. Later as coach,with his work which emphasize discipline, teamwork, and tactical fortitude with a rigid slant made his former team – Sharks FC very difficult to beat in the preceding season. An appointment that somewhat laid to rest the coaching instability that plagued the 2002 campaign.
4. The issue of playing their continental home matches in Calabar, away from the traditional and spiritual home in Aba was crucial to thriving in the continent. The Enyimba Stadium was given a facelift. Which prompted Governor Kalu to extend an invite to CAF President Issa Hayatou to commission the refurbished facility. Hayatou was later decorated with a chieftaincy title in Aba and hosted to a banquet at the Government House in Umuahia. Who cares about the report of CAF’s stadium assessors ,when the top man had cut the tape to declare the facility fit for use?
5.The lean squad of 2002, was overhauled and bolstered ahead of 2003, with two quality players for each position.
6. The welfare of players took a jump in a bid to motivate them to stay focused on the project and stave off japa for greener pastures.
7. The composition of the squad, which spread across ethnic and religious lines won the team more support across the length and breadth of Nigeria. No team had embodied the Nigerian project like Enyimba, hence was adopted as one for the country.
The combination of the aforementioned seven bullet points to success,all came together to deliver the first ever CAFCL title on the 12th of December 2003. The Coach Ikhana led side took a 2-0 first leg final win in Aba to the 2nd leg in Ismaili, a ground where they had been annihilated 6-1 in the group stage.
With the stakes higher this time, the coveted trophy present on the night and up for grabs, Enyimba set up in a 5-3-2 formation- Vincent Enyeama in goal, the experienced Seyi Ogunsanya in the anchor position of the three center backs – with Obinna Nwaneri and Uga Opara on either side. Yusuf Mohammed and Omolade Ajibade on full back duties, Onyekachi Okonkwo, Stand-in Captain Abubakar Musa and Muri Ogunbiyi in a 3-man midfield. Leaving the burly Ekene Ezenwa and the nippy small dynamite, Micheal Ochei – both willing runners, to lead the line and to press and close down Ismaily backline all night.
The game plan was clear, stifle the expansive play of the Egyptians, nullify their midfield strength and occupy their ball playing center backs to stop them from starting attacks from the rear. Enyimba outlasted Ismaily after over 98 minutes, conceding a goal only from the spot to win 2-1 on aggregate to lift the CAF Champions League trophy for the first time ever.
Not satisfied with keeping the coveted trophy for just one year, the club management reviewed the template that brought success the previous season and did major housing cleaning which swept away coach Ikhana. Having attained international status, which they hitherto professed in name and even included on the badge, Enyimba went for an international coach in Australian Milorad Urukalo to steer the club to the next phase of the project.
Results tanked and almost derailed the defense of the African title, prompting the club to part ways with the Australian. His assistant, Coach Okey Emordi stepped in to steady the ship and did steer the team to another final. Emordi’s style of play was easy in the eye, but did not always produce victory, hence was replete with mixed emotional exertions.
The final second leg against Etoile Du Sahel of Tunisia in Abuja was no exception. Coach Emordi preferring a 4-3-3 formation; Enyeama between the sticks, Yusuf and Ajibade in fullback positions, Captain Nwaneri and Jerome Ezeoba in central defence. Musa Aliyu in defensive midfield, with Damian Udeh filling in for the suspended Okonkwo, and the ever present Ogunbiyi joining attack from from midfield. The attack had David Tyavkase, Ndidi Anumunu and Emeka “Ayaya’ Nwanna.
With scores at 2-1 and 3-3 on aggregate , penalties seemed on the cards. Emordi repeated what he had done in the semi final penalty shootout victory over Esperance du Tunis , by subbing off first choice goalkeeper Enyeama for penalty saving specialist, Dele Aiyenugba. It paid off again as Aiyenugba saved one to give Enyimba the advantage of finishing the job.
The decisive kick was firmly dispatched by club captain Obinna Nwaneri to cement the club in the history books as back-to-back champions of Africa. Second only to TP Mazembe of DRC who first achieved the feat in 1967 and 1968, and later repeated it in 2009 and 2010. However Al Ahly of Egypt joined the exclusive club of double winners for their triumphs in 2005 and 2006, adding three more entries in 2012 and 2013, 2020 and 2021, and again in 2023 and 2024.
One of the eternal images of the Enyimba’s remarkable CAF Champions League success is that of Captain Nwaneri duly receiving the prestigious trophy and holding it aloft, to send the fans to celebrations all night long. Condemning the once elusive trophy to another year of tenancy in Aba, Nigeria.
Today, 12/12 we celebrate the 20th and 21st anniversaries of Enyimba International Football Club ‘s successive CAF Champions League triumphs.
