By Augustine Kalu on April 12, 2017

Former member of the defunct Nigeria Football Association (NFA) Prince Isidoreh Oduah, has expressed dismay over the poor performance of Nigerian League defending champions, Enugu Ranger International Football Club.

According to the former member of old Anambra Sports Council, it is worrisome seeing Rangers being at the bottom of the log in the country’s elite division few months after winning the league. He challenged the Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, and other stakeholders to wake up and ensure that the identity of the Igbo nation does not go into extinction.

He declared that it would not augur well with whosoever would superintend the relegation of the former African champions. He said that Governor Ugwuanyi as astute sports administrator should make sure that a committee is set up to move in quickly to find out the problems of the club and proffer solutions.

Prince Oduah was of the view that the present crop of players in the club does not know what the club stands for hence, they approach their duties in a lacklustre manner. He said it had been that the players have the slightest idea of what the club stands for or meant to the Igbo nation, nobody will advise them on what to do.

“I must tell you the truth and nothing but the truth. I am saddened with the present poor state of Enugu Rangers. As a matter of fact, it is disheartening seeing Rangers on the bottom of the log of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) with their few outstanding matches notwithstanding,” Oduah stated.

“This is a club just few months ago emerged the champions of Nigeria and today, they are nowhere to be found, it is so sad.

“This is a club whose fan based cut across the country. If you remember, when Rangers won the league last year, the Sultan of Sokoto, Sir Sa’adu Abubakar the second, flew in from Sokoto to celebrate with the club because he became a fan of the club when he was an undergraduate of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. It is a shame!

“Rangers’ precarious situation is worrisome. If you recalled that they couldn’t go beyond the second round of this year’s CAF Champions League. A former continental champion for that matter, it is really a shame I must tell you,” Prince Oduah lamented.

Speaking further, the only none indigene to have served in the Lagos State FA said: “Enugu Rangers are the identity of the Igbo nation. It is true that the club are based in Enugu; it belongs to Ndigbo, it does not belong to Enugu State because it is our identity.

“Rangers are based in Enugu because, Enugu used to be the capital of old Eastern Region. What I am saying is that the club belongs to Ndigbo and not Enugu State. That Enugu State is funding it is because Rangers are based in Enugu and naturally, Enugu State Government owes it as a responsibility to Ndigbo to ensure that the club is well taken care of by funding it well. It is a duty they owe Ndigbo because nature has entrusted that responsibility on them.

•Photo shows Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.

Source Daily Sports

Posted April 12, 2017

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