IS NIGERIA PREMIER LEAGUE DEAD? Research Identifies That Nigeria Professional Football League is Very Much Alive

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18,000 Sani Abacha Stadium Filled to Capacity

As most fans feel, Nigeria football league is dead. We're real skeptics when it comes to IFFHS rankings - that Nigeria Premier League (NPL) is NO1 in Africa and No 24 strongest league in the world. I was skeptical too because nothing seem to be working right with the league, which was recently re-branded as Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL). Well, not until I found out that the rankings were right. Surprisingly, research has identified other indices that seem to prove IFFHS right.

We should be more objective with the way we perceive the league. Let us not throw away the baby with the bath water. No doubt, the league administrators have been one hell of a nightmare, but that doesn't mean we should close our eyes to other positives of the league.

IFFHS Ranked NPL No1 in Africa: IFFHS rankings last July wasn't a fluke. It was based on a glaring data. And if NPL clubs - Kano Pillars and Sunshine Stars - did so well in CAF Champions League in 2012. Both teams got to the league stage and the semi - finals. Then, there wasn't a better data to disproof that NPL wasn't the strongest league in Africa.

It wasn't a case of 'best of the worst' because NPL was also ranked 24 in the world. It goes a long way to show us what would have been of the league if we had the right structures and administrators.

Sunday Mba Shines in AFCON

 Home Based Players Shine in AFCON Win: The six home based players selected to play at AFCON 2013, distinguished themselves. Sunday Mba, Godfrey Obaobona out shined some of the foreign based professionals.

It was actually Sunday Mba that scored 2 vital goals which edged out Cote d'Ivoire, the tournament's favorite and the second, which won the trophy for Nigeria. This is an indication of quality players in NPL.

Sani Abacha Stadium Filled to Capacity: It isn't very true that fans have totally abandoned NPL. Once Nigerian clubs are doing well in continental competitions like Caf champions league as well as in NPL, fans would passionately support and attend their matches.

In spite Boko Haram insurgence, the bombing of two bus terminal at Sabo Gari where most Kano Pillars fans trade (Kwali Market Association), spectators still defiled such security risk and trooped in to watch the Kano Pillars Caf champions league match against AC Leopard at Sani Abacha Stadium.

We have seen similar fans enthusiasms in 2003 and 2004 at Aba, when Enyimba fans (Ariria Market traders) trooped in to support the team as they won Caf Champions league back to back.

 

Enyimba Joma Deal

 Joma $300,000 Sport Wear Deal With Enyimba: Many didn't believe the Joma interest on Enyimba - to sign such a sports wear deal that worth over N30 million.

We may not believe on our own, but Enyimba is one of the highly regarded clubs in Africa. Joma trust that the club's popularity will add value to their sport wear brand if they adorn the jersey in their matches. This goes to show you how Nigerian clubs are regarded in Africa.