Joel Ajayi
Chairman of City Football Club of Abuja, Chidi Okonkwo, has challenged his players to raise their performance levels as the Nigeria National League (NNL) enters its decisive second round, insisting that promotion to the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) remains the club’s ultimate target for the 2025/2026 season.
Okonkwo gave the charge while speaking at the club’s maiden End-of-Year Celebration and Awards Night held on Wednesday in Abuja, where he urged the players to leave no stone unturned in their quest for promotion.
The event, organised to reward outstanding performances and motivate players and stakeholders ahead of the second half of the season, coincided with the Christmas period. It also marked the first time an NNL club in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) hosted a formal end-of-year celebration and awards ceremony.
“I never knew it would be this way. Today is December 24 and tomorrow is Christmas, yet you all took time to honour me and City FC,” Okonkwo said.
“This event is to encourage my boys — my wonderful boys. I call them my children because they make me happy every day.”
Describing his deep emotional attachment to the club, the chairman recalled rejecting advice from a close friend to sell the team, a decision strongly supported by his family.
While commending the players for their efforts in the first round of the NNL season, Okonkwo noted that their performances fell short of his expectations.
“They have tried, but it is not enough for my liking. Football is about performance, not just results. I want to see good football,” he said.
“This event is meant to motivate those who are not giving their best and encourage those who have done well to do even better.”
Okonkwo stressed that the second round of the league would be crucial for City FC, noting that the team has more home fixtures to play after enduring a demanding first round dominated by away matches.
“Our aim this season is promotion, and we have the team to achieve it,” he said.
“Recall that this team went to Tanzania and won a tournament involving champions from different countries as the only second-division side. If we bring that same mentality into the NNL, nobody should come close to us.”
Beyond the club’s immediate ambition, Okonkwo also outlined his broader vision for football development in the FCT, expressing his desire to make the sport a strong cultural identity in Abuja.
“Sometimes I feel football is not as strong in Abuja as the vision I have for it. I want to do more to make people show real interest in football here,” he said.
“I believe very soon football will become one of the first languages spoken in this city.”
Despite acknowledging the competitive nature of the NNL, the City FC chairman expressed confidence in the club’s prospects.
“I’m not worried about relegation — that is out of the question. My concern is promotion. We will keep pushing and see where we end up at the close of the season,” he said.
The highlight of the evening was the presentation of awards to individuals and organisations that contributed to the club’s progress during the year. Institutional awards included the Guardians of Fair Play Award to the Nigeria Referees Association, FCT Chapter, and the Guardians of Development Award to the Nigeria Football Coaches Association, FCT Chapter.
Individual honours went to Chinasa Ezekwueme (Fan of the Year), Daniel Jacob (Most Consistent Player), Sunday Dongs (Fans’ Favourite), Sunday Oliseh (Most Behaved Player), Joseph Donaltus (Most Impactful Player and Player of the Season 2025), Simon Isek (Most Promising Player), and Richard Yamoah (Clubman of the Year).
Okonkwo concluded by urging the players to enjoy the Christmas break responsibly while reflecting on their performances and preparing mentally for a strong second-round campaign.
“Christmas is not just for enjoyment,” he said.
“You must think, plan, and return ready to achieve our goal.”
