It’s the weekend!
Fridays have always carried this special vibe. The moment the sun rises on a Friday, it feels like the weight of the work week begins to lift off everyone’s shoulders. The popular “TGIF” slogan isn’t just about excitement—it’s a sigh of relief, a way of saying, “finally, I can breathe.”
Back in my student days at Federal Government College, Ohafia, Fridays were even more sacred. By the time we got to the last two periods, most of us had already checked out mentally. Unless, of course, one overzealous teacher decided to hijack our freedom and stretch his class to the very end. Fridays, we believed, belonged to us, not to the classroom.
In football, Fridays carry the same anticipation—the start of a new match weekend. And so, here we are again. The stage is set, the fans are ready, and Aba is alive with that football heartbeat. Last weekend gave us a taste of what this season could look like, and trust me, the Elephant Park did not disappoint.
Sunday was our turn, as Enyimba got our home campaign underway with a slim but sweet 1–0 win over Niger Tornadoes. A victory is a victory, whether it comes with fireworks or by a single strike. The important thing is that it got us off the mark in front of our own people. And if that wasn’t enough, Aba football lovers got an extra serving the very next day when Kun Khalifat locked horns with Remo Stars. That clash, which many thought would be one-sided, turned into an entertaining spectacle with Remo edging it 2–1. Two matches in 24 hours at the Elephant Park—it almost felt like Aba had quietly become the football capital of Nigeria for the weekend.
But beyond the results, I had some interesting conversations with fellow fans after the Tornadoes game. It was clear that almost everyone shared the same sentiment: we want our Enyimba back. Not just any version of Enyimba, but the ruthless, high-flying, all-conquering Elephants that dominated both at home and away, the team that made Aba a fortress and made the rest of Africa sit up and take notice. We long for the days when our players were the envy of the league, when wearing the blue shirt was a guaranteed ticket to national team recognition. Those days made us who we are as fans, and truth be told, we’ve been spoiled by that history of success.
Yet, reality has humbled us. Nearly a decade of watching our great club operate below that frighteningly high standard has been tough. Yes, there’s been a league title in that time, and yes, there have been group-stage outings on the continent, but it’s not enough. Not for a club like Enyimba. Not for a fan base that is used to lifting trophies, not just competing for them. We’ve seen the promised land, and we don’t want to live outside it for too long.
Talking to the fans, I realized how insatiable the average Enyimba supporter is. Like Oliver Twist, we will always ask for more. Give us a win, and we want a winning streak. Give us a trophy, and we want to defend it the next season. Spoil us with titles, and we will demand domination. That’s just who we are—demanding, restless, and passionate to the core.
At the same time, though, we are loyal. No matter how tough it gets, we stick with our Elephants. We may grumble, we may rant, and sometimes our criticisms sting, but that’s because our love runs deep. As one fan told me on Sunday, “We don’t even know what ‘thin’ looks like. If it isn’t thick enough, we’ll call it thin.” That’s the Enyimba fan in a nutshell—unapologetically high standards wrapped in fierce loyalty.
So, to our new players—those fresh faces who just joined the squad and are still getting a feel for what it means to wear the blue—it’s simple: that badge on your chest comes with weight. It’s not just fabric; it’s history, pride, and the collective heartbeat of millions of us. Every time you step onto the pitch, remember that your performance fuels our joy, keeps our blue blood flowing, and ensures that the Enyimba name remains feared and respected across the NPFL and beyond.
We, the fans, will play our part. We’ll fill the stands, paint the Elephant Park blue, raise our voices, and be the 12th man that lifts you when the legs get heavy. But in return, we ask for fight, grit, and that hunger to win. Because in Aba, victory is not optional—it’s a lifestyle.
The new season is young, the expectations are high, and hope is once again alive. New Enyimba, same high hopes. May this campaign be the start of our march back to the very top.
Back tomorrow.
Enyimba Enyi!
