NPFL At 30: Still A Long Walk Ahead

By Akinwale Kasali

On Tuesday May 12, 2020, the Nigeria Professional Football League, NPFL, celebrated its third decade in existence.

Without any fanfare, such that heralded the first North American Soccer League (NASL) in 1969 and the J-League of Japan in 1993, professional league kicked off in Nigeria on May 12th, 1990

The pioneer clubs of the league were the now-defunct Lagos ACB, BCC Lions, Bendel Insurance, Bendel United (now defunct), and Enyimba FC.

Others were the Highlanders of Jos, Iwuanyanwu Nationale, (now Heartland FC) JIB, Kano Pillars, Obanta United (later VIP), Ranchers, Enugu Rangers, and Stationery Stores.

It would be recalled that the first professional league match played in Nigeria was between the Super Stationary Stores of Lagos and Iwuanyanwu Nationale, now Heartland of Owerri at the Onikan stadium in Lagos.

The match ended 2-1 in favour of the Owerri based club which later went on to claim the first Nigeria Professional Football League title after having a brilliant season.

The Nigeria Football League was the destination for great African players to showcase their craft, and team up with the best players in the continent.

The Nigeria league by then was regarded as the best league in Africa. And the Green Eagles, has the national team was called then, shone like a million Stars in continental and international competitions regardless of the age bracket, due to the structure and strength of the league.

Ex- Internationals, domestic Coaches, Club administrators and State Governments inclusive, heaped praises on the development of the Nigerian Football League, making it 30 years the Nigerian Soccer Elite Division came into being.

Sadly, the glorious days of one of the acclaimed best leagues in the world are over.

Between 1988-1990, the England Football Association and Administrators came to Nigeria to have a meeting with the then Nigeria Football Association, NFA, to understudy Nigeria Football and its Association on how they have been able to develop their football which became the destination for most African players plying their trade back then.

England Football then was stereotyped ‘Kick and Follow’ Football, and they needed to learn the Samba style of Brazil, which Nigeria was used to as its own playing style back then.

What the England Football Association learnt from Nigeria was Injected into their League, which saw Nigerians moving in droves to the Queen’s country to sign professional football contracts, neglecting their indigenous league.

Years down the line, the Barclays English Premier League has become the cynosure of all eyes as it has metamorphosed into a money-spinning business, with the League becoming a Mecca of sort for footballers around the world.

Like a pack of cards, the Nigerian League has seen an astronomical slide in development, administration, quality, structure and lost it’s relevance in the comity of leagues in Africa not to talk of the world.

Its decline has seen the Nigerian League rated lowly behind the Egyptian League, Tunisian Ligue 1, Morocco Botola League, the South African Premier Soccer League, Algerian League, Zambian League and the Democratic Republic of Congo League.

Most of the Clubs in the NPFL are owned by State Governments, limiting their freedom to operate as an entity, but a Government parastatals controlled by Civil Service and Civil Servants, who know little or nothing about football administration.

Nigerian clubsides have failed to hoist the country’s flag at Continental Club competitions, as they are booted out at Preliminaries or Group stages.

The best achieved by a Nigerian Clubside was the feats achieved by Enyimba of Aba in 2003 and 2004, winning the CAF Champions League, courtesy of the support enjoyed from the then State Governor of Abia State, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu.

The nonpayment of Players salaries, sign on fees, allowances, welfare and their likes further make the NPFL nothing to write home about.

The league has been subjected to ridicule, with players been denied their wages.

The referees are not left out, leading to match fixing, irregularities, sentiments and it likes.

Unfortunately, after over 30 years of existence, the much expected progress is yet to be seen as the little achievements recorded are said to be overshadowed by teething problems which ought to have been things of the past.

Without doubt, despite the myriad of problems, the league is not only afloat but it has produced renowned league administrators, seasoned referees, quality players and formidable clubs like Enyimba that have made impact in the continent.

However, football stakeholders desirous of changes have continued to express disappointment at the failure of the domestic league to compete favourably with leagues in other climes despite available opportunities.

The call for the present Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, officials and the NPFL officials to map out strategies and roadmap to curb, curtail and eradicate these anomalies bedeviling our Football League, thereby, putting  round pegs in  round holes.

Stakeholders are hugely disappointed that after so many years, the league is still dominated by government clubs as the environment is still not conducive for privately owned clubs to thrive.

In addition, sloppy marketing of the league, players’ remuneration, insurance, infrastructure, officiating, medical and insecurity at match venues are said to be anything but professional.

Unlike the South African League which enjoys prominence and commercial value for being on satellite television, the NPFL has not been on television since the departure of Supersport, making the league not marketable to Nigerians.

No doubt, 30 years are no joke, and the issues affecting the league are yet to abate, rather they are increasing by the day.

It is basically still a long walk ahead, but things could gradually turn around  if the NPFL and NFF members form a synergy in restructuring the league to be marketable. firstly, among Nigerians, so that every soccer enthusiast of the leagues can sit back home and watch local matches on screens just like European leagues.