{"id":2859,"date":"2025-08-27T06:36:28","date_gmt":"2025-08-27T06:36:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chinaacheru.com\/?p=2859"},"modified":"2026-01-11T12:56:09","modified_gmt":"2026-01-11T12:56:09","slug":"finally-some-npfl-action","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chinaacheru.com\/staging\/finally-some-npfl-action\/","title":{"rendered":"Finally, Some NPFL Action"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Nigeria Premier Football League finally kicked off over the weekend, and trust our league, it wasted no time serving us drama. We had two away wins, a coach who briefly lost his bearings, and massive turnouts up north.

This is our Nigerian league: full of energy, full of potential, but sadly run by people who don\u2019t seem to realise the goldmine they\u2019re sitting on.

Where was the fanfare?<\/strong>

A Quiet Kickoff

When Remo Stars hosted Rivers United in Friday\u2019s curtain raiser, you\u2019d expect fireworks, media buzz, maybe even a parade. After all, this was first versus second from last season. Instead, it slipped in quietly, like a neighbour frying akara at 6 a.m. You know it\u2019s happening, but nobody announced it.

To be fair, the match itself was a proper showpiece. But the buildup? Non-existent. Neither the league organisers nor most of the clubs seem to understand branding or visibility. In fact, I sometimes wonder if some clubs even know they have a brand.

And that\u2019s where our football keeps failing.

Another World Exists<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Somewhere in Kano. Barau FC v Enyimba<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n


While we worry about poor attendance, there\u2019s another Nigeria, a football world where fans don\u2019t need hashtags, pre-match videos, or halftime DJs to show up. They just love their football. Full stop.

Look north.

In Kano, Barau FC (yes, Barau FC. Don\u2019t worry, I had to Google them too) hosted Enyimba at the Sani Abacha Stadium, and every seat was taken.

In Bauchi, Wikki Tourists against Plateau United was also a packed affair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Wikki Tourists v Plateau United<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n


Compare this with much of southern Nigeria. Except for Shooting Stars, Rangers, and maybe Bendel Insurance, most clubs struggle to attract fans. People either don\u2019t care anymore, or the clubs have done little to convince them otherwise.

Take Port Harcourt as an example: the stadium is tucked so far from the city centre that making the trip feels like a pilgrimage. Add the fact that beyond players\u2019 families, referees, ultras, supporters\u2019 clubs, police, FA officials, and journalists (none of whom pay), you\u2019ll be lucky to count more than 25 paying fans. And I kid you not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"IMG
Somewhere in Umuahia: Abia Warriors v Kano Pillars. Where are the fans?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

So here\u2019s the real question: have our southern clubs bothered to find out what their northern counterparts are doing right? Because blaming the EPL every time doesn\u2019t cut it. Northerners watch European football too, and maybe more than us down south, yet they still troop out to support their local sides. Something is working there.

When a Coach Suffers Temporary Insanity<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n