The adage that says man proposes but God disposes is right now playing out in the case of El-Kanemi Warriors of Maiduguri, and Niger Tornadoes of Minna, who are springing surprises with unexpected results in the ongoing Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season.
Against all odds, the two clubs that were tipped down by many football analysts to struggle in the league have continued to deliver performances that suggest they may even vie for one of the continental tickets at the end of the 2025 NPFL season.
While El-Kanemi Warriors just returned to the topflight from the Nigeria National League (NNL) where they were relegated to at the end of the 2021/2022 season, Niger Tornadoes who struggled for most part of last season, survived relegation on the last day.
It was against this background that many believed the two clubs might struggle to cope with the standard of the NPFL. Therefore, such skeptics didn’t see any possibility for the transformations that have happened in the camps of the two clubs.
At the moment, the reigning Federation Cup champions, El-Kanemi Warriors of Maiduguri are occupying the 13th place on the 20-team table but the North-east giants have a game in hand which will lift them to at least the middle of the table, if they can pick the maximum points in the outstanding week 2 match at home against Kwara United.
The MatchDay 2 fixture earlier scheduled for September 9 was postponed due to the flooding that ravaged Borno State. Although both El-Kanemi Warriors and Kwara United have the same number of points (8), the ‘Afonja Warriors’ are placed 12th on the table due to superior goal difference.
The warriors’ impressive showing so far has also proved that their victory in the 2024 Federation Cup, which they obtained at the expense of fellow NPFL side, Abia Warriors, even as they were still in the NNL, wasn’t a fluke.
In their six matches, El-Kanemi Warriors who rebounded to the NPFL before the start of the season, opened their campaign with a 0-0 draw at title holders, Enugu Rangers. That performance came as a surprise to many who thought as defending champions, Rangers would easily tame the Borno warriors.
However, when El-Kanemi Warriors who represented Nigeria in the Confederation Cup crashed out of the second tier CAF inter-club competition at the first preliminary round stage, not a few people concluded they would struggle to survive in the NPFL.
But the club coached by Aliyu Zubair who is presently on international duty with the Flying Eagles in Lome, Togo, for the WAFU B U-20 championship, returned to the drawing board and are presently flexing muscles with the big boys.
At the moment, all other clubs have tasted defeat except El-Kanemi Warriors and Rivers United. The Warriors are also among the teams that have recorded away victories in the season. They have drawn five matches and won one, which was the shocking 4-3 defeat of Nasarawa United at the Lafia Township Stadium.
El-Kanemi Warriors have drawn away at Bendel Insurance, one of the most formidable teams in the league, they were forced to 2-2 draw at home by former champions Plateau United, the gallant Warriors also drew 0-0 with Heartland in Maiduguri before their last away draw at Lobi Stars in the week seven fixture played on Wednesday.
Invariably, the draws recorded away against strong opponents like Enugu Rangers, Insurance, and Lobi Stars as well as the shocking 4-3 defeat of Nasarawa United have portrayed the boys from Maiduguri as a team that is not shy of any challenge, anywhere. Although they have also had their own share of home draws, their record on the road has stood out as one of the best travelers this season.
Where the Borno Warriors have drawn confidence to put up the above average performance this season is not far-fetched. The club’s leading goal scorer, Ibrahim Mustapha, who scored a brace to earn the team a useful point at Lobi Stars has attributed their performance to team unity and unwavering support from the Borno State government.
Speaking to Weekend Trust, he said “Before the start of the season, many people didn’t give us any chance to do what we have done so far. In fact, some questioned my decision to leave a big club like Kano Pillars to play for El-Kanemi Warriors.
“But I have my reasons for that move. Apart from the fact that El-Kanemi Warriors is my home club, I saw the quality of players that the management was recruiting. I knew that with time, we would blend and become a dreaded side.
“When we exited the Confederation Cup early, we were sad but as professionals we had to motivate ourselves for the tasks ahead. So, we put behind the unfortunate incident to concentrate on the league.
“Presently, we’re not among the title contenders but I am optimistic that with the continuous support from the government and management of the club, we would finish the season strongly,” he assured.
The Chairman of Borno State FA and member of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Executive Committee, Alhaji Babagana Kalli, also expressed confidence in the ability of the Warriors to keep moving up on the league table.
“I am satisfied with the performance of El-Kanemi Warriors. They just returned to the NPFL but the players are experienced enough to compete with the rest of the clubs.
“As you may be aware, winning an away match in the NPFL is not an easy task but El-Kanemi Warriors have achieved the feat already. They also picked three away draws which could have been victories for us,” he noted.
Kalli, therefore, charged the players to sustain the tempo as he said the NPFL is not a sprint but a marathon that must be run to the finish line.
He also said the state FA is solidly behind the club to bring back the lost glory of Borno State in football.
Founded 38 years ago by the then Military Administrator of Borno State, Colonel Abdulmumini Aminu (rtd), El-Kanemi Warriors are yet to be crowned league champions, but they are three time winners of the Federation Cup which used to be known as the Challenge Cup.
For Niger Tornadoes, who narrowly escaped relegation last season, two away wins, four draws and a loss in seven matches is a positive sign that they may have nothing to do with relegation fight again this season.
The ‘Ikon Allah’ boys from Minna kicked off their campaign with a stunning 2-1 victory at Kwara United. They were forced to a 1-1 draw by Nasarawa United the following week. But Tornadoes were undaunted. They travelled to Jos and caused a major upset by beating Plateau United 2-1 for their second away victory. Unfortunately, Tornadoes failed to build on that momentum following their 0-2 loss to Heartland in Owerri and two draws at home with Bendel Insurance and Lobi Stars.
However, on Wednesday, Tornadoes shocked many with another stunning performance when they were forced to a 1-1 draw by former African champions, Enyimba. Just before the break in the keenly contested fixture in Aba, Joseph Godstime found the back of the net for Tornadoes who held tightly to the lead until the 76th minute when Ufere Chinedu Chukwu, equalised for the ‘Peoples Elephants.’
Despite the draw, Tornadoes left Aba feeling like victors because drawing against Enyimba in their home ground is not something that happens often. Moreover, while they occupy 8th position with 10 points, Enyimba who are gunning for a tenth NPFL title are in third position with 14 points, one less than second placed Remo Stars who lost their top position to Rivers United after Thursday’s 1-3 loss at Plateau United.
Tornadoes long serving captain and former junior international, Mustapha Aliko, has attributed the resurgence in the team to hard work and dedication on the part of the players and the management.
He also said that the problems that bedeviled Tornadoes in the past seasons have become a thing of the past. “The secret to our success is hard work and dedication. We have resolved to make a name for ourselves and to justify the support of the government.
“We are getting good results because of the motivation from the government. We are paid our salaries and match bonuses as and when due. In fact, even after our draw at home against Lobi Stars, the chairman paid us a winning bonus.
“Therefore, we have no reason to do less than what we have done so far. We want to finish among the top three clubs at the end of the season,” said the former Golden Eaglets’ goalkeeper.
So, as El-Kanemi Warriors seek to extend their unbeaten run against heavyweights Enyimba on Sunday in Maiduguri, Tornadoes also will host another unbeaten side and former champions, Rivers United, at the Bako Kontagora Stadium, in what would be another stern test for the ‘Ikon Allah’ boys.
Join Daily Trust WhatsApp Community For Quick Access To News and Happenings Around You.
