By George Akpayen
It will be exactly 10 years, two months and 11 days (that is 3,725 calendar days) since we witnessed the last Lagos derby between MFM FC and Ikorodu United. That game produced four goals with MFM winning 3-1 on the day.
At the end of the 2016 season, MFM escaped the drop by finishing just above the drop zone but Ikorodu United were relegated to the second tier.
And in 2021/22 season, MFM the only Lagos club in the top division was relegated. For three to four years, Lagos had no club in the elite division until Ikorodu City won promotion and featured in the 2024/25 season and finished fourth in their debut campaign.
The following campaign also meant City were the only Lagos club competing in the NPFL and for a successive outing, finished fourth.
However, this season Inter Lagos and Sporting Lagos have joined City at the top division, the first time since 1996 when Lagos had three clubs in the NPFL. In that year, Julius Berger FC, Nigerdock FC and NEPA FC competed in the Pro League as the top division was known then.
The last time, Lagos had as much as three clubs in the top division was in 1996 when Julius Berger FC, Nigerdock FC and NEPA FC. At the end of that season, NEPA dropped to the second division. The following season, Nigerdock got relegated.
NITEL FC then joined Julius Berger for the 1998 campaign but the former lasted just a season in the top division. The Bridge Boys held on in the NPFL as the only Lagos club until 2006 when they got relegated.
Interestingly, it took a whole decade after the relegation of Julius Berger FC to have another Lagos club feature in the NPFL. In fact, two clubs, MFM FC and Ikorodu United made it to the top and that was the last time the top division witnessed a Lagos derby on July 3, 2016.
Fast-forward to 2026, Onikan Stadium now known as the Mobolaji Johnson Arena which has played hosts to numerous Lagos derbies will welcome Inter Lagos and Sporting Lagos this Sunday. It was actually not originally scheduled to be the first Lagos derby in 10 years as Sporting Lagos versus Ikorodu City was until political activities made the venue unavailable for the match last weekend.
Inter Lagos and Sporting Lagos start this matchweek as the bottom-two in the league and without points but Inter have played one more game than their rivals. Both clubs know that they cannot afford any further slip-ups following defeats in their opening matches.
Ahead of Sunday’s showdown, Sporting Lagos go into the fixture as the experienced side having played in the NPFL in 2023/24 season before being relegated. That season, Sporting started well and were undefeated in their first three matches (W1 D2).
For Inter Lagos, this is their first time in the NPFL but they will hold on to the fact that they have never been defeated by their city rivals in either friendly matches or in the second tier where they have previously met (W3 D1). However the NPFL offers a different challenge for Shakiru Giwa and his men.
When both clubs come face to face this Sunday, it will be a different battle from what had previously transpired between the two clubs. It will be a time to lay a first claim to the bragging rights in Lagos.