In a league long ruled by tradition, state-owned giants, and age-old reputations, the 2024/25 Nigeria Professional Football League season has dared to write its own rebellious script. What once felt like a game of thrones reserved for the usual suspects has been turned on its head — because this, unquestionably, is the year of the underdogs.
For seasons past, Remo Stars have danced dangerously close to glory, only to crumble in the final act — much like Arsenal’s notorious late-season implosions in England. They’ve been poetic, promising, and painfully short. But not this time. With an unshakable blend of grit and grace, the Ikenne side clinched the league title with three games to spare — finally silencing the doubters and carving their name into the annals of Nigerian football with authority.
Yet, if Remo’s crowning is a story of persistence paying off, Ikorodu City’s rise is nothing short of a fairy tale. Newcomers to the top flight, without pedigree or a storied lineage, they’ve refused to play by the old rules. Labelled “the baby of the league” by club director Tobi Adeloju, this so-called infant has learned to walk — and now sprints toward a historic continental ticket.
Operating on a shoestring budget but bursting with bold ideas, Ikorodu City have upended the status quo, blending youth, ambition, and innovation to defy the odds — and the skeptics.
Their fellow promoted side, Elkanemi Warriors, also stirred the pot this season. Their spirited displays turned heads and won hearts. At one point, they looked poised to claim a top-five finish or even a continental spot. But fate intervened. The intermittent departure of their head coach to national team duties stunted their momentum, leaving fans to wonder what might have been.
Meanwhile, Abia Warriors, long known more for survival than success, have emerged as surprise contenders. The “Umu Chineke Boys,” once perennial strugglers since promotion, have found new life under the guidance of battle-hardened tactician Imama Amapakabo. With two games remaining, they stand on the brink of making history — perhaps stealing continental thunder from their more glamorous neighbors, Enyimba, who have faltered this term.
All of this has unfolded under the stewardship of the Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye-led Interim Management Committee (IMC), whose bold reforms have levelled the playing field. This season has witnessed an unprecedented surge in away wins, hard-fought draws, and genuine parity — the kind of competitive balance that Nigerian football has long yearned for.
And the stakes have never been higher. A record ₦200 million prize awaits the league champions — the biggest purse in Nigerian football history. With whispers swirling that a title sponsor will soon be unveiled ahead of the next campaign, the NPFL is finally stepping into the future.
So yes, this season belongs to the unexpected heroes — the upstarts, the innovators, the daring dreamers. It belongs to clubs with small budgets but big hearts. It belongs to managers who dared, players who believed, and fans who witnessed history in motion.
This is the year of the underdogs — and perhaps, just perhaps, the dawn of a golden era for Nigerian football.
