Rivers United NPFL Champs: One of Gov. Wike’s Finest Hours of Practical Governance News

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Rivers United NPFL Champs: One of Gov. Wike’s Finest Hours of Practical Governance

By By Victor Enyinnaya on July 4, 2022

Yes, this year’s story of Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) winners, Rivers United FC would not be complete without anchoring it around the executive Governor of Rivers State, Barrister Nyesom Ezenwo Wike being the dramatis personae taking the centre stage for frontline role he played by providing adequate financial and result oriented personnel for the team which coasted to a well deserved victory at last.

No doubt whichever view point you may look at it from, he is a great mobilizer of the first order. A central figure to this all conquering Rivers United FC. He started the way forward immediately he was elected in 2015 as the Chief Executive Officer of the oil rich State. This is typical handiwork of forbearance unmasked by Governor Wike.

He saw the future and took drastic decision that gave birth to the current NPFL Champions. He is a visionary leader of all times. He has transformed the infrastructures in all facets of the State. Go and take a peep at the Real Madrid Football Academy in the State, you would come to real terms with his taste for the development of the youths and young ones through football.

The Governor set the tone and true to his character as a never say die believer in solid projects, he encouraged the team to the fullest. This columnist has not hidden his deep sense of responsibility for Governor Wike’s dripping thirst for developmental matters which not only benefit his immediate people but all and sundry too.

His super achievements in the State are in the public domain. Rivers people are really enjoying the dividends of democracy. He is one who does not call black white, an instinct which has singularly sold him to many hearts even his most critical critics. Rivers State has been in the news for best reasons through the exploits of Rivers United FC, Nigeria’s flag bearer in this year’s CAF Champions League.

As a dogged man who never takes no as an answer, he has craved yet another niche for himself. He is a national discourse today for good reasons; be it in politics or sports. A safe made man who never retreat from a cause he wholly believes in. He carries lots of airs amongst his pairs and even more. One must state categorically here that the crowning of Rivers United FC as the overall champions of the recently concluded NPFL remains one of the numerous finest hours of Governor Wike’s golden years as Rivers State governor.

It is on record that after former Governor Peter Odili’s administration left her feet on the sands of time in infrastructural development of the State, sports and welfare of athletes, in short, Rivers State served as the adopted home of the Super Eagles. It is instructive to note that after that, nothing much meaningful happened to sports and sundry in the State until the emergence of Governor Wike’s administration which has near such giant strides after a long, long space of time.

It would be recalled that shortly after the official curtain was drawn and the announcement declaring Rivers United FC the undisputed winner of this year’s NPFL championship by the League Management Company (LMC), the ever sporting action packed Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike pledged the fuller support of his government and people of the State for the renewed honour the football club has brought to the entire State after long waiting to drink from the trophy.

Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL), 2021/2022 season curtain was drawn recently shortly after this page went to bed. We on this newspaper say congratulations to all the clubs that took part in the competition and foremost to Rivers United FC for emerging the overall winner of the highly stressful week in, week out annual championship.

Our special and profound interest in Rivers United FC winning this year’s NPFL has been waiting to happen. The Rivers State football squad has worked hard thus far to clinch it this time. No critical and objective analyst would crown the efforts of Rivers United this League term without deeply bringing

the efforts of Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike who immediately he assumed office, took great interest to reposition his State football by merging the then Sharks FC and Dolphins FC to throw up the present day Rivers United FC which has witnessed tremendous respect and funding. The team within the context of its existence has made great deepening statement in NPFL and strides via being crowned as the over- all winner of this year’s NPFL team through effective engagements.

If you recall vividly the two former existing football clubs in the State were merged together that threw up the present Rivers United FC. It was Wike’s brain child and administrative shrewdness. His clear cut vision and mission for the youths and young ones in the State cum Nigeria remains dripping. Therefore, he ensured that a more formidable one stop team came on board.

Foremost and true to his character, he funded the club solidly. Though, coach Stanley Eguma was retained from inception till date which spoke volumes of great vote of confidence from the owners (Rivers State Government) of the club side.

The State Government did not rest on her oars but sought ways the club would be solidified by bringing in first rate players the local scene can offer, which was done the season before the last hence this year’s sterling high performance at last. However, no success of Rivers United as his baby would be written without the name of Governor Nysom Ezenwo Wike boldly written or mentioned in this context.

He saw the weak link which stood between NPFL glory and his State Club side and swiftly moved in and instructed that the chairman of the State FA, Barrister Chris Green be in charge of the Rivers United team, today we have seen the resultant effect….victory at last.

Governor Wike, always known for his proactiveness in any goal he set out for himself drafted in someone like veteran of the terrain, Barrister Chris Green who has proved his mettle in football administration. His competence remains transparent and solidly both in Rivers State and national level. In short, all the reforms Governor Wike began since he came to power materialized via this year’s NPFL trophy to show for it. Champions Rivers United our ultimate flag bearer for the next Champions League summit.

Truth and on paper the team is solid with further fortification of certain departments on the field of play, so as to withstand the heat and rigor in the much vast and very high profile African prime club competition that parades first rate teams, technical bench and players in Africa competing so Rivers United won’t gross over this threat. Therefore Rivers United FC must brace up decisively to confront the championship frontally not just to participate but also to go all out for the diadem with huge take home from the organizer CAF.

Needless to say that thorough gap filling must be carried out in the team by the coaching crew currently led by Stanley Eguma and management of very effective Barrister Chris Green, a goal getter of all sorts. They knew what to do right for the team to compete strongly against first rate and crack teams/players that would be in CAF Champions League as usual.

Green and Eguma as veterans in this line knew the nitty-gritty called CAF Champs League. The little recruitment would be ruler to measure like. No time for random recruitment stuff, only best few legs that would precisely fit perfectly into the blending arrangement of the technical crew must be reached. That is exactly what the team needed. To fortify the team would be the only headache and watch word for now.

It is thumbs up for the monitor, initiator and the Chief Executor of the beautiful joy of youth empowerment, the one and only His Excellency, Chief Barrister Nyesom Ezenwo Wike CON who has truly displayed to the core his AIPS award as Power of Sports (POS) Africa.

We in Daily Sports congratulate the Governor, government and people of Rivers State. The anchor will not be dropped without extending our hands of fellowship to the players, the technical crew, numerous fans and management for job Weldone.

Keep shooting hard till next week. Meanwhile, we wait!!

Source Daily Sports Nigeria

Posted July 4, 2022