Enyimba of Aba has joined the league of clubs that have shirt sponsorship deals.
Enyimba is taking the necessary steps to ensure the team performs well this season. The People's Elephants have their eyes on the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) and the CAF Champions League.
The new governor of Abia State is making all the right noises and putting in the effort to ensure that Enyimba FC is truly a club of international standard.
The efforts and dreams of the governor – Mr Alex Otti, are beginning to yield dividends. The club just recently signed a shirt sponsorship deal with an international brand.
Enyimba signs sponsorship deal with Stake
Enyimba Football Club is delighted to announce a multi-year shirt sponsorship deal with @stake, beginning this season.#ChampionsUnite #EnyimbaStake #PlaySmarter pic.twitter.com/V66Mte9OxQ
— Enyimba FC (@EnyimbaFC) August 16, 2023
The most successful club in Nigeria is at it again. Enyimba, nine-time NPFL champions and two-time CAF Champions League winner, has gone global. The People's Elephant has joined English Premier League side Everton to have Stake as Shirt Sponsor.
The current NPFL champions are striking the right chords and making sweet melody. Enyimba, in grand style, announced a Multi-millionaire Shirt Sponsorship deal with Stake.
How much the deal is worth is still unknown but believed to be worth millions. Reports also suggest it's a multi-year deal.
For the uninitiated, Stake is a revolutionary online casino that has taken the gambling world by storm with its cutting-edge platform and extensive selection of games.
Besides being shirt sponsors for Everton, Stake also has high-profile athletes, including New Zealand/Nigerian UFC Middleweight Champion Israel Adesanya, music superstar Drake, and Manchester City legend Kun Aguero in their team of brand ambassadors.
Enyimba – Going through a revolution
Enyimba required the Naija Super Six to emerge champions of the NPFL.
Upon assumption to office, the governor of Abia State, Mr Alex Otti, has made sweeping moves to turn their fortunes around.
One of the moves includes the appointment of Nigerian football legend Nwankwo Kanu as the new chairman of Enyimba. Nwankwo Kanu replaced chairman Felix Anyansi Agwu as the chairman of the club. Felix Anyansi had been at the helm for 24 years.
With funding an issue with Nigerian clubs, the financial injection into the team from the Stake deal will boost their fortunes.
Perhaps it is safe to say the appointment of Kanu is a step in the right direction.
Africa in sight
The days when Enyimba held sway in Africa seem a distant past. It's hard to believe that they once won the Champions League back-to-back. They are the only Nigerian club to win Africa's topmost club competition.
They have started another journey again. The NPFL champions will take on Libyan team Al Ahli Benghazi in the first round of the CAF Champions League.
The Libyan side finished as runners-up in the Libyan Premier League. They are up against the champions from Nigeria. The draw was at the CAF headquarters in Cairo, Egypt.
North African opposition has always been a problem for Nigerian sides, and Enyimba would do well to be wary of them.
Al Ahli Benghazi will host the first leg on Sunday, 20 August 2023. The tie will be played at the Martyrs of February Stadium, with the return leg in Aba a week later
This article was most recently revised and updated 1 year ago
