Enyimba, Pillars gasping for breath under Super Eagles’ legends

Two of Nigeria’s most iconic football institutions—Enyimba International FC and Kano Pillars are currently fighting for relevance in the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), despite being led by two of the country’s greatest football exports.

The struggles of Enyimba under Nwankwo Kanu and Kano Pillars under Ahmed Musa underline a growing reality in Nigerian football that legendary playing careers do not automatically translate into effective football administration.

Enyimba FC, fondly called The People’s Elephant, was once the gold standard of club football in Nigeria and across Africa. Under the stewardship of Felix Anyansi-Agwu between 1999 and 2023, the Aba-based club evolved from a modest domestic side into a continental powerhouse.

Enyimba won nine Nigerian league titles, four Federation Cups, and famously lifted the CAF Champions League in 2003 and 2004, becoming the first, and still only Nigerian club to achieve the feat twice. The club’s dominance also earned it continental awards and global partnerships, firmly establishing its brand.

That era came to an abrupt end in 2023 when the Abia State Government removed Anyansi-Agwu after 24 years and appointed former Super Eagles captain, Nwankwo Kanu, as chairman. Expectations were immense. Kanu, a former African Footballer of the Year winner and one of Nigeria’s most decorated players, was expected to inject professionalism, global best practices, and renewed ambition into the club.

Instead, Enyimba has endured one of its most turbulent periods. Performances on the pitch have dipped, administrative stability has vanished, and constant changes in technical leadership have created confusion. Kanu inherited a structure that included the duo of Finidi George and Yemi Olarewaju, both of whom later exited. Their departures triggered a carousel of coaching appointments, including Stanley Azunda Eguma and Deji Ayeni, none of whom managed to arrest the club’s decline.

In January 2026, the situation escalated when Abia State Governor, Alex Otti announced the appointment of Deutsch Detchoua Gustave Emmanuel as head coach, alongside Daniel Eke as Sporting Director and Uche Okechukwu as a board member.

The announcements, made without clear coordination with the existing board, reignited debates over government interference in club affairs. Weeks after the announcement, Deutsch’s appointment had still not been formally ratified by the club, further highlighting the breakdown in governance.

Compounding Enyimba’s woes is a growing financial controversy surrounding the $1 million prize money the club received for participating in the inaugural African Football League. The Abia State Government has formally demanded a detailed account of how the funds were spent, citing a lack of visible infrastructural upgrades or developmental projects. The scrutiny has placed Kanu’s leadership under intense pressure, with critics questioning accountability and transparency.

For a club founded in 1976 and reborn into continental prominence in the early 2000s, Enyimba’s current predicament is alarming. Kanu now faces the toughest challenge of his post-playing career: restoring order, rebuilding trust with the government, and steering the club back to relevance in domestic and continental competitions.

A similar narrative is unfolding in Kano, where Kano Pillars, another giant of Nigerian football, are struggling for survival despite the presence of Super Eagles legend Ahmad Musa at the helm of affairs. In July 2025, the Kano State Government appointed Musa as General Manager, alongside a reconstituted 17-man board. Musa returned to the club where he once thrived as a young player, carrying the hopes of supporters eager for a revival.

Musa’s credentials are unquestionable as he is currently Nigeria’s most capped international with 111 appearances. He also remains the first Nigerian to score at two FIFA World Cups (2014 and 2018) and enjoyed a successful club career in Europe with CSKA Moscow and Leicester City. Upon his appointment, Musa acknowledged Kano Pillars’ decline and pledged a renaissance built on unity and strategic planning.

“Kano Pillars is our club and one of the most successful in Nigeria, but in recent years, the story has changed. With your support and the backing of the board members, I will do everything possible to reposition the club,” he said upon his appointment.

However, his hopes of repositioning the club have not gone as he had anticipated with the current reality on the pitch proving harsher than he thought. Kano Pillars have spent much of the current NPFL season flirting with relegation. At one point sitting 17th with just 28 points from 24 matches, the four-time league champions have been gasping for breath in a fiercely competitive league. The “Sai Masu Gida” have recorded nine wins, four draws and twelve defeats this season, scoring just 17 goals in 25 matches while conceding 25. The club’s struggles were compounded by a three-point deduction.

As part of the sanctions, the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) docked Kano Pillars three points and three goals from their accumulated tally, imposed fines amounting to ₦9.5 million, and ordered the indefinite closure of the Sani Abacha Stadium. The punishment followed violent incidents that marred their Matchday 8 home fixture against Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) in Kano. The good news, however, is that after prosecuting a few matches at the Muhammadu Dikko Stadium, Pillars are back home, hoping to arrest their present decline.

Therefore, a narrow 1–0 victory over Remo Stars recently offered temporary relief. Luis Dadong’s goal earned the team three vital points and a N1.4 million cash reward from two staunch supporters. One of the donors and Chairman of the Kano State House Committee on Sports, Kabiru Dahiru Sule, used the occasion to issue a stark reminder. “We have lived too long on past glory, and now is the time to rebuild and rebrand the club to a higher level,” he said.

For both Enyimba and Kano Pillars, the symbolism is striking. Two clubs built on institutional strength and long-term planning are now battling instability under leaders celebrated for individual brilliance rather than administrative experience. The struggles of Kanu and Musa do not diminish their legendary status as players, but they expose the complexities of football governance in Nigeria.

As Enyimba and Kano Pillars fight to breathe again, the lesson is clear: restoring fallen giants requires more than iconic names. It demands coherent structures, accountability, patience, and professional management—qualities that determine whether these Super Eagles legends can eventually turn boardroom pressure into lasting success.

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