Enyimba FC forward Edidiong Ezekiel has appealed to supporters to remain patient as the club prepares for the start of the Nigeria Premier Football League’s (NPFL) second stanza of the 2025/26 season.
Ezekiel, a former Akwa United and Remo Stars striker, acknowledged that this season’s Enyimba squad is largely new, with many players still adapting to head coach Stanley Eguma’s philosophy on the pitch. “In my opinion, if you noticed, Enyimba this season is almost an entirely new team,” he explained.
He noted that the departure of around 22 players last season had a significant impact on team cohesion and consistency, stressing that time and patience will be key to improvement. “So, we need time to adapt to the philosophy of the coach and to have the understanding within ourselves. Football is a game of patience we need to have patience,” Ezekiel added.
Despite mixed results in the first half of the campaign, Ezekiel pointed to recent performances as evidence the team is progressing. “You’ve seen in the previous games the last three or four games – we are improving every day,” he said.
Looking for the best betting experience in Nigeria this January 2026? The Bet9ja promotion code for January 2026 is YOHAIG. With this exclusive code, new users can claim a generous welcome bonus of up to ₦100,000 on their first deposit. For comprehensive details about the Bet9ja promotion code 2026 in Nigeria, visit https://www.bet9japromotioncode.com.ng/. Ready to elevate your betting experience? The YOHAIG Bet9ja Promotion Code 2026 unlocks exciting benefits. Start with just ₦100 as your minimum deposit! Begin your betting journey today by using the Bet9ja login signup and entering the Bet9ja bonus code when creating your account. Enjoy an impressive 170 per cent multiple boost bonus plus a free bet option for either Bet9ja sport or Bet9ja casino. To become a valued Bet9ja customer, simply complete the registration process here. Remember that terms and conditions apply when registering with Bet9ja to receive your bonus.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Looking ahead, the forward expressed his desire to see the Enyimba faithful happy with the team’s performances and results. “Personally, I want Enyimba fans to always be happy when they come to watch us,” he said, adding that his aim extends beyond playing it is about helping the club return to its rightful place at the top of Nigerian football.
EDITORIAL
In the microcosm of Nigerian club football, patience is a rare virtue. Yet for Enyimba FC, a team steeped in tradition and expectation, it is now the currency of survival. Edidiong Ezekiel’s call for calm ahead of the NPFL’s second stanza is important not just for its immediate message but for what it reveals about the club’s broader renaissance.
Enyimba, the People’s Elephant, are accustomed to the heavy mantle of expectation. Nine national titles and continental triumphs have cemented their place in African football lore. But this season has borne witness to an upheaval a near-surgical replacement of personnel and a reimagining of identity under Stanley Eguma. Such seismic change rarely yields instantaneous success. What it does demand is understanding, not just within the dressing room but among those who fill the stands week after week.
Ezekiel’s words are both candid and instructive. A squad that has lost 22 players from the previous campaign is, by necessity, a work in progress. Tactical cohesion, psychological bonding, and spirited execution are not commodities that can be conjured overnight they require repetition, resilience, and a collective belief in a shared philosophy. The gradual improvements he referenced in recent outings hint at a team rediscovering its rhythm a prelude, perhaps, to something more potent.
Yet, in a league as fevered and impatient as the NPFL, the bench and boardroom often listen more intently to the roar of discontent than to measured appeals for time. Enyimba’s supporters, entitled by history and emotion, rightly aspire toward success. But there is a difference between aspiration and expectation untempered by context. In football’s unforgiving theatre, a player who understands that distinction becomes not just an athlete but a keeper of culture.
Ezekiel’s plea, then, is not merely about enduring a lull it is a reminder of the virtue required to build something enduring. The second stanza beckons, and with it, the promise of progress not as a sudden epiphany, but as the cumulative result of patience, preparation, and purpose.
DID YOU KNOW?
- Enyimba FC are Nigeria’s most successful club, having won more NPFL titles than any other team in the league’s history.
- The NPFL second transfer window runs from January 1 to January 31, providing clubs like Enyimba an opportunity to strengthen their squads ahead of the second stanza.
- Edidiong Ezekiel has scored multiple goals for Enyimba this season, including a strike in their 3–0 victory over Shooting Stars in December 2025.
- Enyimba experienced a series of mixed results before the second stanza, including a winless stretch that tested patience among fans.
- Stanley Eguma is an experienced NPFL coach, having previously won titles in Nigeria and guiding teams through league campaigns before taking charge at Enyimba.
