It’s the last Sunday of October.
In Aba, that means a blend of early morning traffic, the familiar hum of worship songs echoing from churches, and clusters of people squeezing in one more weekend exercise before the new week begins. But far away in Jos, our boys will be stepping onto the pitch to face Plateau United for one final outing for the month and perhaps, a chance to reclaim our peace.
October hasn’t exactly been kind to us. We began on a decent note with that gritty draw against Rivers United, only to be hit by those bitter back-to-back defeats to Kun Khalifat and Warri Wolves. The performances haven’t matched the passion, and the results have reflected it. Still, as football always offers, there’s one more chance which is a final shot to end the month on a high and remind everyone who the Elephants truly are.
The challenge, however, is steep. Jos has never really smiled at us. Nine trips, not a single win, and only two draws to show for it. But maybe the numbers are writing a new story and our 10th trip coming in the 10th month might just be the perfect cue for history to turn on its head. After all, even the harshest of streaks do end.
There’s a mix of news from the camp. Chidera Michael misses out after limping off in our last outing, but John Bassey returns to the fold. Jacob Jonathan joins the traveling party alongside Joseph Atule, who fans hope gets the nod to start. There’s also space for Dede Dare, while Anozie (who has been second choice behind Ogunga) sits this one out.
Coach Stanley Eguma will surely have a lot to ponder, not just on who starts, but on how to reignite the rhythm that once made this team such a delight to watch. We may only be at Matchday 10, but the table is already taking shape, and we’ve lost a bit of ground on the frontrunners. That must stop now.
It’s the final game of the month and a perfect opportunity to hit the restart button. Nothing would bring more peace than a hard-earned win against the Peace Boys in Jos. Let’s do this for pride, for points, and for peace.
The match will be live on the NPFL-Live app and FRCN. Kickoff is 4pm.
EnyimbaEnyi!
