Soccer
Victor Osimhen has paid a touching tribute to Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) champions Remo Stars by gifting the club a generous sum of N10 million in celebration of their historic league title win, Soccernet.ng reports.
The Super Eagles striker, currently enjoying a stellar season on loan at Galatasaray, is said to have split the donation equally between the players and the technical staff.
The gesture comes after Remo Stars clinched their first-ever NPFL crown with a gritty 1-0 victory over Niger Tornadoes on Sunday.
Osimhen, who has established a close relationship with Remo Stars head coach Daniel Ogunmodede — also his assistant coach with the Super Eagles — personally called the team on Tuesday to congratulate them on their triumph.
He praised their “tenacity” and said he was “deeply impressed” by their determination throughout a challenging season.
Remo Stars’ remarkable journey to the title has captivated the Nigerian football scene.
Founded as FC Dender in 2004 and rebranded in 2010, the Ikenne-based club has climbed from grassroots obscurity to national glory.
They sealed the league title with three games to spare, reaching an uncatchable 68 points, 10 clear of second-placed Rivers United.
Substitute Olamilekan Adedayo’s 84th-minute thunderbolt in Sunday’s match delivered the decisive blow, sending the Sky Blue Stars into raptures and finally ending their run of near-misses — having finished second in the last two campaigns.
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The victory is a major milestone not only for the club but also for Nigerian football.
Remo Stars are the first privately-owned team to win the NPFL since Julius Berger in 2000, and the first club from southwestern Nigeria to achieve the feat in 25 years.
Adding to the celebrations, the title win coincided with the 59th birthday of club owner and entrepreneur Kunle Soname, who also owns Portuguese side C.D. Feirense and founded Bet9ja and ValueJet airline.
Remo Stars’ success story is built on patience and perseverance.
After relegation in 2018, the club bounced back in 2021 and have since evolved into title contenders. With 21 wins from 35 matches this season, they remain on course to match Rivers United’s record 77-point haul from the 2021–22 season.
Their league triumph secures a coveted spot in next season’s CAF Champions League — a competition Nigerian clubs haven’t won since Enyimba’s 2004 triumph.
Meanwhile, Osimhen hopes Remo’s glory proves contagious.
The Galatasaray forward is chasing his own quadruple in Turkey: the league title, Turkish Cup, top scorer award, and Player of the Season — a fitting year for one of Nigeria’s finest football exports.
Imhonlamhen Eronmhonsele
Imhonlamhen Eronmhonsele turns into a ball of passion when writing about Nigerian football and its talents, whether rising stars or established legends, locally and abroad.
From the deepest corners of the Middle East, to the green fields of the Americas, to the celebrated grounds in Europe, and the rich soils of Africa, Imhons is more than glad, usually with a glass of a tasty drink nearby, to capture the essence of the game, by connecting the dots between culture, identity, and football.
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