Opinion
Otti’s reforms in Abia: Anyansi’s feats and Kanu’s expected Enyimba heroics
By Ori Martins
The Abia State governor, Dr Alex Otti, has caused a pragmatic sensation through his well tailored reforms which have elicited fever and panic across the God’s Own State.
In a sweeping and grand effort to hit the ground running as he pledged during the campaigns, Otti is carrying out a series of policies he aimed at rebranding, reviving and reactivating the state’s sectors said to be in comatose conditions.
A part of the reforms is the dissolutions of virtually all the agencies and parastatals in the state. In this regard, Nigeria’s longest serving football club chairman, Chief Felix Anyansi Agwu, lost his position to another sensational football personality, Nwankwo Kanu, former Super Eagles captain and twice erstwhile African Player of the Year.
It is on record that in 1999 Enyimba were on the throes of relegation. With only two two marches to go, then newly elected governor, Orji Uzor Kalu, raced to Aba, the home ground of the People’s Elephant, instantly appointed Anyansi as the new chairman and charged him with the onerous task of rescuing the relegation bound team from going under.
To the amazement of all who had been witnessing how Enyimba had struggled all through in the 1999 season, Anyansi applied his mastery touch and guided Enyimba out of relegation. It was like pulling a dog out of the claws of a lion.
The following season, Anyansi, the financial support and moral support of Kalu, rebuilt the team in 2000 by signing quality players and experienced technical workers. Thus, in 2001, the efforts paid off following Enyimba’s Premier League triumph in the Super Four Play Off staged at the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos. It was a mission well accomplished and a handsome reward for hard work and vision.
With the 2000 victory, Enyimba qualified to represent Nigeria in the elusive CAF Champions League 2002 which ultimately then became evasive for Nigerian local teams. Sadly, due to lack of exposure and poor preparations, Enyimba were knocked out in the second round by an Ivorien team.
In a most dignifying application reminiscent of the Rangers International of Enugu giant strides between 1973 and 75, Enyimba retained the Premier League titles from 2001 to 2003.
The team went ahead to lift the CAF Champions League, becoming the first ever club in Nigeria to win Africa’s most prestigious club shield in 35 years!!! The Aba team equally defended the title back – to – back in 2004 and it became a continental record as no African club had ever defended the trophy then in 38 years.
It was coach Kadiri Ikhana who guided Enyimba in 2003 while Okey Emordi defended it in 2004. Before that, the late Kelechi Emetole and Godwin Uwua had made meaningful impacts on the team’s growth and development.
In all, Enyimba under Anyansi lifted nine Premier League titles, seven Federation Cup trophies, two CAF Champions League shields and two African Super Cup wares. The feat is an unprecedented Nigerian record as before now, Rangers had won the league title seven times, Shooting Stars five and Kano Pillers four.
Also, it is to Anyansi’s record that under him, many Nigerian players became Super Eagles materials and foreign based internationals. Players like Vincent Enyeama, Musa Muhammed, Ogbonna Okemmiri, Onyekachi Okonkwo, Muri Ogunbiyi, Romans Orjinta, Obinna Nwaneri, Ekene Ezenwa, David Tyavjase, Micheal Ochei, Ndidi Anumonu, Emeka Ayaya, Dele Aiyenugba, and many others cannot forget Anyansi and Enyimba in a hurry.
The fact remains that Anyansi made Nigeria proud by succeeding where Jim Nwobodo’s Rangers failed in 1975; where Lekan Salami’s Shooting Stars crashed in 1984; Ogunjobi’s 3SC failed in 1996 just as Iwuanyanwu Nationale’s Lemmy Akakem (and Uche Ejimofor) could not deliver in 1988 and Heartland got swallowed in 2009 under Ignatius Okeahialam.
However, it was not all glories for Enyimba under Anyansi. The failure of Anyansi to build a befitting club house for the team will always stand as a huge failure on his side. That the club, with all its intimidating accomplishments and glorious feats, still operates from an office where butchers and moi moi sellers market their food items is an indictment on Anyansi and all his Olympic heights in 23 years. It does not sound exciting that Enyimba have no conference hall or reputable address other than Anyansi’s office where he took off in 1999 and after 23 years he never up graded it.
Again, it is unbelievable that in spite of Enyimba’s golden landmarks with Anyansi in charge, he could not get the team branded through established sponsors like MTN, Guinness, Nigerian Breweries, Coca-cola or any other internationally acclaimed firm.
Perhaps, in line with his administrative policy which is to make Abia better in all ramifications, Governor Otti has beckoned on Kanu to continue from where Anyansi has stopped, not by winning only laurels for the club, but also to brand the club as the most corporate friendly team in Nigeria and one of the most attractive for business deals in Africa.
Based on Kanu’s experience, exposure and contact, he can deliver because his appointment has been well applauded both in Abia, Nigeria and elsewhere. After all, his club, Papilo FC, Owerri caused a soccer sensation when it defeated Heartland FC in the 2015 Imo State Federation Cup final to lift the trophy. It was the first time Heartland would be losing the Imo State Federation Cup title to any team in more than 20 years.
Yet, many are praying that the ill fortunes that came the way of Manchester United FC in England after Sir Alex Ferguson’s exit as manager after almost 25 years do not get replicated in Enyimba in the face of Anyansi’s exit after 23 years being in charge, and Kanu’s inauguration.