Good day, all.
At this point, it is just a matter of waiting for the announcement. Coach Deji Ayeni is a name I need to get used to typing, because in the next few weeks or even days, he will be a permanent fixture in every conversation about Enyimba. Barring any shocking twist, this appointment is 99% done.
Yesterday, I hinted at the need for Enyimba to give him the right working environment. The club clearly wants someone who can stop the rot, steady the ship, and shift the mood around the dressing room. Motivation has evaporated from the squad, and Ayeni’s first battle will be to restore belief.
His next task will be to win over a fanbase that is far from unanimous. Even in my small circle of Enyimba faithful, very few are convinced he is the right man. Some feel Ogunbote would have been the safer pick; others throw up names like Erasmus Onu. But in football, the pitch settles all debates. The only way Ayeni wins over the supporters is by giving them something to believe in again.
That will not be easy, because this season’s recruitment has been nothing short of embarrassing. In their attempt to turn Enyimba into “Heartland of Aba,” the Owerri‑led management seemed to have played “Rock, Paper, Scissors” to decide who wears our colours. Now Ayeni is expected to somehow squeeze water out of stones.
Yes, the transfer window will reopen soon, and maybe he can inject real quality. But it is hard to ignore how much this club loses year after year through poor recruitment. You would expect an ex‑international to identify a half‑decent footballer from a distance. Unless, of course, the system is intentionally designed this way for certain people to benefit. Sadly, that is the only explanation that truly makes sense.
Ayeni will have to examine this squad ruthlessly and decide who does not belong. That alone may already put him at odds with the Ogas behind the scenes, whose interests sit comfortably ahead of the club’s. And someone, please, get me a list of all players registered by Enyimba in the last three seasons. The number will shock us all, of that I am certain.
This endless recycling has to stop. Yes, it has existed at Enyimba for years. Yes, other Nigerian clubs do it. But if we genuinely want to progress, we cannot keep repeating the same old habits that guarantee stagnation. The club needs a reset; a clear, deliberate, and intentional.
Rot builds slowly, and recovery also takes time. What matters is commitment. The people in charge must first be inspired to do the right thing. There is a popular saying: “If you build it, they will come.” Truly, there is no limit to what Enyimba can become if the right principles are finally put in place.
Here is the truth: no coach can perform miracles in an environment where shortcuts, politics, and personal interests run the show. If Ayeni is to thrive, management must fix the internal chaos that keeps dragging this club backwards. You cannot demand excellence when the system rewards mediocrity. Give the man solid ground to stand on, then hold him accountable, not before.
This appointment should mark a cultural reset, not just another plaster on a deep wound. It should be the moment Enyimba abandons gimmicks and embraces structure, professionalism, continuity, and long‑term planning. If Ayeni is to succeed, leadership must choose growth over noise, and integrity over convenience.
For now, we wait and we hope. Hope that this is not another wasted opportunity. Hope that this is the beginning of the climb back to where we belong. Because if the right principles are applied, Enyimba can rise higher than ever before. The ceiling has never been the problem; it is the foundation that has been cracking.
Fix that, and the future becomes limitless.
Back tomorrow
