Our next opponents, Kun Khalifat FC, are one of the newest faces in the NPFL, but their rise has been anything but ordinary. The club, founded in 2020 and based in Owerri, has moved fast through the ranks of Nigerian football. In a few short years, they’ve gone from playing in the Nationwide League One to rubbing shoulders with the country’s biggest names. Their promotion through the NNL Super 8 playoffs earlier this year was the reward for ambition, hard work, and a fair bit of belief.
They call themselves The Pride of Imo State — and fair enough. Their story is inspiring, especially in a football ecosystem where private ownership rarely survives the grind. Kun Khalifat are privately owned, and that alone makes them a rarity. There is no state funding to cushion tough days, no government backup to fix travel or wages. It is just pure passion, some sacrifice, and a dream to compete at the highest level. But in this league, passion alone doesn’t always pay the bills.
They have former Enyimba Defender Ifeanyi Anaemena as their Sporting Director and their coach, Obinna Uzoho, has tried to give them identity. He speaks about bravery, structure, and making a statement in their debut season. His team tries to play on the front foot, even when experience suggests caution. There’s a lot of youthful energy in their setup, and on their day, they can cause problems.
And so far, it has been a steep learning curve. Kun Khalifat sit at the foot of the table, with four defeats from seven matches. It is still early days, but they are finding out firsthand that the NPFL is no playground. The fixtures come thick and fast, and every ground feels hostile. For a new club still building its legs, that’s a heavy dose of reality.
Their troubles haven’t just been on the pitch. Off it, they’ve had to deal with a dose of league bureaucracy. Their home ground in Owerri was deemed unsuitable by the league organizers, forcing them to adopt our own Elephant Park in Aba as their temporary home. Imagine calling another team’s fortress your home — it’s tough to build an identity that way. Every game feels like an away match, and that emotional disconnect is hard to ignore. You can sympathize with them on that one.
Still, credit must go where it’s due. They’ve come a long way in a short time. For a young, privately owned side, even staying competitive at this level is an achievement. Their management has shown real intent, and their players clearly want to prove a point. They are taking their bruises, learning their lessons, and adapting to the demands of top-flight football — the hard way.
Tomorrow’s game is one of contrasts. On one side, Enyimba — seasoned, structured, and used to the big stage. On the other, Kun Khalifat — ambitious, inexperienced, but hungry. We know where we stand and what is expected of us. They’ll come with energy and spirit, but it’s our job to remind them that this is the NPFL, and the last time we played in Owerri, we showed that class and experience still matter.
From Owerri’s dreamers to Aba’s champions, the stories could not be more different. Tomorrow, both collide on our turf. One trying to survive, the other trying to soar.
Back tomorrow,
‘EnyimbaEnyi
