It’s Maundy Thursday… or should I say, Moody Thursday.
Because honestly, what’s there to be cheerful about?
Sir Isaac Newton, in one of his famous laws of motion—one that doubles as a bitter life truth—said a body remains at rest or in constant motion unless acted upon by an external force. Well, our Enyimba is that body—once in motion, now frighteningly still. And that “external force”? Self-inflicted chaos.
Before we dig into yesterday’s disaster—yes, disaster—let’s remember a wise Igbo proverb: ụkwụ jie agụ, mgbada abịara ya ụgwọ. [When the lion grows weary, the antelope dares]. Our once-mighty team, appears to be stripped of its invincibility, and now looks like an open invitation to minnows from all levels of football.
And minnows don’t come smaller than Abakaliki FC.
A club born less than a year ago. Struggling in the relegation zone of the NNL. A team more familiar with defeat than daylight. And yet, they sent Enyimba—the People’s Elephant—packing from the President Federation Cup. Cupsets are part of the game, yes, but this one? This one stinks to high heaven.
Coach Eguma? Same old, same old. His lineup gave “business as usual” a whole new meaning. Ideye was back in the XI [he angrily went straight to the tunnel as soon as he was subbed off]. David Okere was handed a start. Atule and Nnaji were plugged in as lifelines. The usual suspects—Zalli, Ufere, Chikamso, Pascal, Nweke, Akanni—rolled out again. Ukadike completed the cast. The bench? A cocktail of old-timers and rookies. Even Moses Adukwu made a cameo on the team sheet, asI wondered if he’s been on vacation. If only we didn’t sign and drop players nicodemusly.
But no tactical shuffle can paper over what’s rotten. The cracks we’ve shouted about all season—lack of unity, poor motivation, confused direction—finally burst onto the pitch in full technicolor.
“Deranged Enyimba defense line, poor chances from the bench and lack of fighting spirit killing Enyimba in this game.”
“Very very poor defending here from Enyimba… Disorganized defense line from first half to now. No unity and zeal in defending.”
And guess what? Those words above weren’t from disgruntled fans online. They came from someone deep in the club’s PR machinery. If the image-makers are throwing their hands up, then the image is officially broken.
Two goals conceded in less than 70 minutes. No response. No spark. No strategy. Just vibes, nostalgia, and an avoidable exit.
Next stop? Kano Pillars in Aba on Saturday, now coached by our former gaffer, Usman Abd’Allah. A reunion? Maybe. A reckoning? Most likely.
Can we salvage anything from what already feels like a lost season? Only time will tell.
But one thing’s for sure: Enyimba must rediscover its purpose—or risk becoming just another club in the crowd.
‘EnyimbaEnyi
