Enakhena Ends Tenure with Call for Better-Structured NNL

In what could pass as a valedictory speech, the President of the Nigeria National League Club Owners and Managers Association, Godwin Enakhena, has sympathised with clubs relegated from the Nigeria National League, saying every team in the division encountered serious challenges during the just concluded season.

He will be making his valedictory appearance as the chairman of an NNL club this Friday in a local derby away from home as his Sporting Lagos clashes with Inter Lagos in the decider for the NNL title.

Godwin Enakhena is stepping out of the NNL back into the NPFL.

With the promotion of his club into the elite Nigerian football league, the NPFL, Enakhena will return to the calibre he had been before having earlier steered the MFM and the Sporting Lagos into the top-flight league years ago.

Speaking during a stakeholders’ meeting in Ikenne on Thursday, Enakhena said the campaign was demanding for promoted clubs, relegated sides and teams that managed to retain their status in the league.

According to him, survival in the NNL has become increasingly difficult because of the competitiveness and financial burden associated with the division.

The NALCOMA president also expressed satisfaction with the ongoing Super Four tournament in Ikenne, describing it as an improvement on the previous Super Eight format.

He explained that the Super Four arrangement places less pressure on clubs and officials, adding that the atmosphere surrounding the competition in Ikenne has shown that a more compact format could better serve the interests of the league.

Enakhena commended members of NALCOMA for standing firmly behind the Super Four despite what he described as opposition from certain quarters.

Reflecting on the previous Super Eight competition in Asaba, the veteran sports administrator said the format was not the best way to determine promotion to the Nigeria Premier Football League, noting that important lessons have been learned from the ongoing exercise in Ikenne.

He reminded clubs that the league fundamentally belongs to them and urged stakeholders to continue working collectively for the development of the NNL.

Enakhena also charged NALCOMA members to remain united, stressing that only a strong and united association can effectively protect the interests of clubs and contribute to the growth of Nigerian football.

He advised clubs that secured promotion to the NPFL to prepare adequately for life in the top flight, insisting that promotion alone should not be the ultimate ambition.

“Qualification should not just be about getting there. Clubs must prove they are strong enough to compete effectively throughout the NPFL season,” he stated.

The NALCOMA president further called for a review of the association’s constitution to allow the president of the body and one additional member to become part of the NNL Board.

According to him, club owners are the major stakeholders in the league and deserve direct representation in decisions affecting the championship.

Enakhena also urged the Nigeria National League Board to continue working towards repositioning the league, while commending sponsors and partners, including Toptier Sports Management, ProStar and Betpawa, for their support for the league.

He concluded by appreciating members for their support and commitment to the association and urged incoming executives of NALCOMA to continue strengthening the body for the benefit of all clubs.

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