Enyimba chairman Felix Anyansi-Agwu says his side’s 1-0 win against Burkina Faso outfit Rahimo FC in the CAF Champion League has rubbished the plans of his detractors, who he claims have ‘ganged up’ to ensure the downfall of the 2-time winners of the competition under his watch.
Substitute Victor Mbaoma headed in the only goal to put the People’s Elephant in control of the preliminary encounter against Rahimo after the first leg in Ouagadougou on Sunday.
But it wasn’t smooth sail for Enyimba on their way to Burkina Faso. The delegation of the 8-time Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) champions, who could not travel as earlier scheduled on Friday due to financial difficulties, left Lagos on the eve of the match (on Saturday), arriving their hotel in Ouagadougou via Lome just 30 minutes to their designated official training time.
It was further gathered that the match commissioner had to extend their training time following pleas from Enyimba, after which the team proceeded for training and then, Covid-19 testing, all without food.
The long-standing administrator, who has overseen affairs at the club since 2001, says Enyimba passed through ‘difficult moments’ and ‘challenges that have been created’ to eventually grind out the away win against Rahimo.
“There are a lot of things (that happened). We went through difficult moments to be here (Ouagadougou) to honour this particular match,” Anyansi-Agwu, who is also an Executive Committee member of the Nigeria Football Federation, said.
“I know the challenges that have been created here and there that have not really given this team room to express themselves.
“So, I am very happy that God, who sees the heart of man, has really rewarded us, has really rewarded this team that is going through a lot, going through a lot of hardship – very difficult issues. (He) who wears the shoe, knows where it pinches.”
Under his leadership, Enyimba have won 8 league titles, two CAF Champions League, 2 CAF Super Cups and 4 Federation Cups, making the Aba side the most successful Nigerian club.
However, Anyansi-Agwu is bothered that people are still bent on destroying the legacy he has built at the club.
“It’s a clear indication to all these people – the gang up here and there against this team, so that a team that is built, that is blessed to bring honour to the country is being brought down,” he lamented.
“It’s quite unfair, the gang ups here and there to draw this team down, preventing them to achieve their purpose, achieve to make Abia State proud. That is something that is bothering me.
“That is why I’m extremely happy today, more than any other day, about this result.”
The People’s Elephant are still stuck in Ouagadougou, and will leave the Burkina Faso Capital on Monday evening to Abidjan, where they will spend the night before arriving Lagos on Tuesday night.
Bound for a road trip from Lagos to Aba ahead of the second leg of their CAF Champions League encounter against Rahimo on Sunday, Enyimba are expected in Aba on Wednesday evening, at the earliest.
