Sunday, October 19, will make it seven days since our seven-match unbeaten run came to a halt in Owerri against Kun Khalifa. However, as Warri Wolves come calling this weekend, it is another opportunity to begin again, maybe this time a seven-match winning streak. That may sound ambitious, but it is not impossible. League leaders Nasarawa United began the season with a loss but have since gone seven matches unbeaten, including five straight wins. If another seven-match run is on the cards for the People’s Elephant, we can only hope that this time we record more wins than draws to climb higher on the table.
The return of Warri Wolves to the NPFL and their scheduled visit to Aba on Sunday brings back memories of an old rivalry that stretches back more than a decade. There was a time both clubs stood at the very top of the domestic scene, spending big, signing the best, and producing players who formed the heart of the CHAN team. The 2013 Federation Cup final between both sides still stands as one of the greats in recent memory, filled with twists, tension, and drama. Enyimba came from behind twice before winning on penalties at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos. That night remains unforgettable.
Two years later, in the penultimate match of the 2014/15 season, Wolves arrived in Aba seeking revenge and hoping to cut Enyimba’s lead at the top. It was a true title decider, first versus second, best defence versus best attack. Coach Kadiri Ikhana’s Enyimba were disciplined and compact, while Paul Aigbogun’s Wolves were bold and attacking. Enyimba had a five-point cushion and only needed a draw to clinch the title. Wolves, with their superior goal difference, needed a win to keep the race alive heading into the final weekend.
The anticipation was electric. Aba was packed to the rafters, the stands heaving with blue and white. On the field, Wolves lined up with Okiemute Odah in goal, captain Azubuike Egwuekwe, midfield maestros Lordson Ichull and Oghenekaro Etebo, and wide men Joseph Osadiaye and Stanley Dimgba feeding the league’s top scorer, Gbolahan Salami. Enyimba stayed with their trusted core. Captain Chinedu Udoji dropped into defensive midfield due to injuries, with Ifeanyi Anaemena and Uche John anchoring the defence. In attack, Ezekiel Bassey and Andrew Abalogu hugged the wings, Nzube Anaezemba pulled the strings, and Mfon Udoh led the line alongside Peter Onyekachi.
Wolves started strong, controlling the early exchanges as Ichull and Etebo dictated the tempo. Enyimba absorbed the pressure well but suffered a blow when Abalogu limped off. His replacement, Daniel Etor, was tasked with stopping Wolves’ overlapping runs on the left flank. The first half ended goalless, with Wolves shading the play. The second half was frantic. Etor’s red card gave Wolves a man advantage, and they poured forward relentlessly. The pressure mounted, the noise in Aba rose, and hearts pounded. Ikhana responded with a key tactical change, bringing on Kingsley Sokari for Bassey. Sokari’s calmness, quick feet, and ball control changed everything. Suddenly, Enyimba found rhythm again. The Wolves midfield lost grip, and their dangerous attacks dried up. By the final whistle, Enyimba had earned the vital point needed to secure their seventh league title.
It was goalless, yes, but unforgettable. That match gave birth to the legend of Bobby Sokari, the player a fan later called “the one who quietened the storm.” The Italians would have called him “Tempesta Clamata,” the Storm Calmer. Aigbogun may have lost that battle, but he earned respect. By the next season, he was Enyimba’s new coach, joined by three of his Wolves stars, Osadiaye, Ikechukwu Ibenegbu, and Abu Azeez. Ironically, Wolves went down the following season and have since endured two relegations in the decade after that unforgettable duel.
Now they are back. The stage is set again. As the Warri boys visit Aba this Sunday, memories will flood back, but nostalgia will not earn us points. This is a new era, a new challenge, and a new chance to roar again. When the whistle blows, all we want to see is the People’s Elephant trample the Wolves once more.
Back tomorrow.
EnyimbaEnyi 💙
