Enyimba Appoint Deji Ayeni as New Technical Adviser Ahead of NPFL Second Stanza

Nine-time Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) champions Enyimba FC have confirmed the appointment of Deji Ayeni as the club’s new Technical Adviser, ahead of their Matchday 21 home fixture. Ayeni arrives from Nigeria National League side Crown FC of Ogbomosho, replacing Stanley Eguma, who was relieved of his duties last November. Lawrence Ukaegbu had been serving as interim boss since Eguma’s departure.

The announcement, made through the club’s official social media channels, welcomed the 53 year old coach as the new leader of the Aba-based outfit. Ayeni is expected to take charge of the team as they aim to stabilise performances and climb the NPFL table in the second half of the season.

Ayeni brings significant domestic experience to the role, having previously managed Sunshine Stars, Akwa United and most recently Crown FC. His appointment is part of Enyimba’s effort to revive their fortunes after a challenging first stanza of the 2025/26 campaign.

The new technical adviser was in the dugout for Enyimba’s clash with Barau FC  a match that ended in a goalless draw at the Enyimba International Stadium in Aba. The result highlighted the scale of the task facing Ayeni as he seeks to reinvigorate one of Nigeria’s most decorated clubs.

EDITORIAL

For a club steeped in tradition and expectation, few decisions carry as much weight as the appointment of a new technical adviser. Enyimba FC the People’s Elephant, whose legacy in Nigerian football is carved into both silverware and cultural affinity — finds itself at a crossroads. The introduction of Deji Ayeni is not merely administrative housekeeping it is an affirmation that heritage alone does not secure success, particularly in the unforgiving terrain of the NPFL.

Ayeni’s arrival arrives not against the backdrop of crisis alone, but of urgent opportunity. Enyimba’s storied past is rich with champions, but past laurels do not guarantee future triumphs. In a league where tactical nuance is increasingly decisive and psychological fortitude matters as much as technical ability, the choice of a seasoned domestic coach carries symbolic and strategic meaning. Ayeni’s career, peppered with stints across clubs like Sunshine Stars and Akwa United, attests to a practitioner familiar with Nigerian football’s ebbs and flows — its promise and its peculiar pressures.

The challenge ahead is unmistakable. Enyimba’s goalless draw with Barau FC under Ayeni’s first minutes in charge underscored both the weight of expectation and the work that remains. A draw at home may pacify anxieties, but the People’s Elephant’s faithful are not simply content with equilibrium they aspire to ascendancy. The task before Ayeni is not just tactical calibration, but cultural leadership — to stitch belief into performances that have lacked spark, to instil clarity where ambiguity has lingered, and to translate history into forward motion rather than nostalgic reflection.

Football, after all, does not reward pedigree alone. It rewards adaptation, cohesion and a capacity to evolve under pressure. Enyimba’s decision to entrust Ayeni with this moment in their narrative acknowledges that football’s present demands as much bravery as its past. The coming months will show if this calculated renewal can reawaken the People’s Elephant to its accustomed roar atop the NPFL hierarchy.

DID YOU KNOW?

1. Deji Ayeni was previously in charge of Crown FC in the Nigeria National League (NNL) before moving to Enyimba, highlighting his experience with both top-flight and second-tier Nigerian football.
2. Ayeni has managed Sunshine Stars and Akwa United, giving him tactical familiarity with multiple NPFL environments.
3. Stanley Eguma’s suspension in November 2025 opened the door for Ayeni’s appointment, with Lawrence Ukaegbu serving as interim coach in the intervening period.
4. Ayeni was in the dugout for Enyimba’s 0–0 draw with Barau FC on Matchday 21, his first match in charge.
5. Enyimba FC is Nigeria’s most successful club in the modern NPFL era, having won the league title nine times a record for the competition.