Chairman of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye has expressed grief on the passing of two former frontline investors in club ownership in the country.
Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu and Senator Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah ranks amongst private investors in the NPFL through club ownership at different dispensations in League football in the country.
The two football and political heavy weights passed on within two days of each other during the week.
The late Chief Iwuanyanwu was handed the former Spartans FC and now, Heartland FC of Owerri in 1986 and oversaw the meteoric rise of the club to continental reckoning after winning all available laurels in the nation’s club competition between 1986 and 2002. He died on Thursday, July 25 at the age of 82.
The late Senator Ubah delved into club football when he bought controlling hold of Gabros International FC, renaming it FCIfeanyiUbah and steering the club through to the NPFL. He is said to have breathed his last in London at the early hours of Saturday, July 27, at the age of 52.
Elegbeleye described the two sad developments as a sad week for the NPFL at a time Nigerian League followers are gravitating towards more private investment in club ownership.
“Death is inevitable in our earthly journey, but I am really saddened that the two gentlemen who are part of the torch bearers in private investment in club football completed their earthly journey at a time their experience would have counted most”, remarked the NPFL Chairman.
“We take condolence in the knowledge that they made their mark in our sphere and would be remembered for good in the history of the evolution of professional football in Nigeria”, Elegbeleye stated.
Iwuanyanwu Nationale was one of the few Nigerian clubs that reached the finals of the old format African Champions Club cup in 1988 but lost 4-1 on aggregate to Entente Setiff Club of Algeria. Following their FA Cup triumph in 2016, FC IfeanyiUbah lost via penalty shootout to Egyptian side Al Masry in the CAF Confederation Cup in 2017.
The two clubs funded by the late businessmen had respectively contributed important players to the national teams at various levels in different times.
Elegbeleye prayed for the repose of their souls while commiserating with their families and the government and people of their respective states of Imo and Anambra.