The 2024/25 Nigeria Premier Football League season ended with Remo Stars lifting their first-ever title, while defending champions Enugu Rangers faded badly, finishing outside the continental qualification spots. The sudden and sharp decline has sparked outrage among fans, with many demanding answers and a total overhaul of the club.
One of the most vocal supporters, Emmanuel Okeke, popularly known as Okwuluora ndi Igbo, accused the club’s management of gross mismanagement and alleged match manipulation. Speaking on Primesport 104.9 FM, Okeke recalled Rangers’ shocking loss to Heartland FC, describing the goals conceded as “magical” and alleging he received calls days before the match suggesting an “arrangement” was in place.
Okeke said he sacrificed personal opportunities, including a trip to the U.S., to support Rangers, but the team’s downward spiral has left him disillusioned. “Rangers is our joy and our conscience. Somebody must take responsibility,” he said.
He also accused club administrators of neglecting player welfare, pointing out that some players couldn’t afford rent and were unmotivated. “Truth must be told—Rangers have failed their players,” he lamented. Despite this, he urged players to still perform, using the example of Nwankwo Kanu who overcame hardship to reach global heights.
Okeke didn’t spare management either. He questioned why the club’s General Manager was still playing for the team, calling it a “distraction” and insisting it was time to “focus solely on administration.”
He added that Rangers’ poor planning, lack of transparency, and failure to engage with supporters have further alienated fans. “When you lose, the fans deserve an explanation,” he stressed. “The club needs to start treating matchdays as more than just games—they should be experiences.”
Beyond poor results, he criticised the club’s logistics and facilities. He shared how Rangers were lodged in substandard hotels on away trips, including being crammed three players to a room in Umuahia. In contrast, he praised clubs like Remo Stars and Rivers United for better structure and support.
Okeke also highlighted missed marketing opportunities, revealing how his plan to set up a Rangers merchandise shop and modernise jersey distribution was ignored. “People abroad are ready to pay in dollars for the Rangers jersey,” he noted.
In his closing appeal, Okeke urged Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah to realise the economic and social power of football. “If we qualify for the Champions League, we can earn hundreds of thousands of dollars. Rangers can be a business, a brand, and a legacy.”
He added: “We, the fans, are appealing. Some of us live and breathe this team. Let our efforts not be in vain.”
