Honestly, I do not feel like beginning with pleasantries today. The storm we were warned about seems to have finally arrived, and it is already gathering momentum.
On Sunday at the Enyimba International Stadium, I watched Abia Warriors F.C. defeat Shooting Stars S.C. 2–0, with both goals coming from our former striker Emeka Obioma. At the same time, many of us were closely following events in Ozoro where Enyimba F.C. faced Warri Wolves F.C..
It was meant to be one of those defining matches in the final stretch of the season, one of the ten games that will ultimately determine our fate. And I must admit, the feeling was strange. As Enyimba supporters, we are accustomed to calculating permutations for a title push or continental qualification, not for survival. Yet that is the reality we now face.
First came their goal. Then another. We pulled one back, but that was as far as the response went. Another away defeat.
In the typical NPFL environment, losing on the road is often brushed aside as one of those things. But for an Enyimba supporter, this result carried heavier consequences. The defeat pushed us from 15th to 17th place and firmly into the relegation zone. The last time we found ourselves in such a position, there were still outstanding games in hand and enough time to repair the damage. This time the margin for recovery is far smaller.
Consider where we stand now. Only three points above Remo Stars F.C., a club that dismantled its title winning squad and has barely played at its traditional home ground this season. That is the uncomfortable reality.
After the match in Aba ended, I remained at the stadium for a while to tidy a few things up. Even before leaving, the mood had changed. News from Ozoro had already spread through the stands. Faces dropped. Conversations turned into quiet groans. Some fans stood in silence, staring at their phones. Others voiced their frustration openly. These were not casual observers. These were supporters whose connection to this club runs deep. For many of them, football begins and ends with Enyimba.
I do not take pleasure in saying “I told you so” when things go wrong. But this platform, That Enyimba Fan, has raised warnings for a long time. At several turning points we sounded the alarm. Some dismissed us as enemies of the club. Others accused us of being overly critical. A few suggested the criticism was motivated by personal ambition.
But the message was always simple. Correct the course before it becomes too late.
Instead, many preferred to sit on the fence and hope the problems would somehow resolve themselves while the slow erosion of what was once considered the gold standard of club football in West Africa continued.
A friend of mine recently suggested that Enyimba’s decline accelerated when the fan base began treating Kanu Nwankwo with unquestioned reverence rather than holding him accountable as chairman. Frankly, it is a difficult point to dismiss.
The previous leadership earned respect through visible results, and when standards dropped they were openly challenged. In contrast, Kanu arrived with enormous goodwill because of his legendary status in Nigerian football and his global reputation. Those credentials deserve admiration, but within a club like Enyimba, respect must still be sustained through performance and responsible stewardship.
Some will argue that he does not play on the pitch or coach the team. That is true. But leadership carries responsibility for the structure that surrounds the team. Decisions about recruitment, management, and direction ultimately shape what happens on the field.
And the uncomfortable truth for Enyimba today is that the consequences of those decisions are beginning to show. If things continue in this direction, merely surviving in the Nigeria Premier Football League may end up costing the club far more financially, emotionally, and structurally than participating in the preliminary rounds of continental football ever would have.
I will not stretch this into an endless read today.
There will be a Part Two tomorrow.
Enyimba Enyi.
