Legendary former Super Eagles captain Kanu Nwankwo is facing his sternest challenge yet as Enyimba chairman after the Abia State Government formally demanded a full account of the $1 million (approximately ₦1.5 billion) prize money earned from the club’s participation in the inaugural African Football League (AFL).
The demand comes amid an increasingly bitter fallout between Enyimba’s management and Governor Alex Otti’s administration, which has openly expressed dissatisfaction with the current direction of the Aba-based club, popularly known as the People’s Elephant.
Enyimba were Nigeria’s sole representatives at the 2023 AFL and received a guaranteed $1 million payout after exiting the competition at the quarterfinal stage. However, recent internal audits and reports reportedly indicate that the funds have not translated into visible developmental projects or infrastructural improvements at the club, prompting the government to summon the Enyimba board for explanations.
According to sources close to the matter, the government’s probe is centred on three key areas:
- Actual Funds Received: Clarifying the exact amount paid to Enyimba after CAF deductions and related charges.
- Utilization of Funds: A detailed breakdown of how the AFL windfall was spent.
- Operational Spending: Explaining why the club struggled with basic logistics during the same period the prize money was received.
The financial scrutiny is only one dimension of a broader crisis engulfing the two-time CAF Champions League winners. In a dramatic move that effectively sidelined Kanu and his board, the Abia State Government recently appointed Deutsch Detchoua Gustave Emmanuel as Enyimba’s new head coach, dismissing the previous manager after just three matches.
The decision, taken without consultation with the club’s leadership, was widely interpreted as a clear vote of no confidence in the Papilo-led administration and a sign of a complete breakdown in trust between the government and the board.
Since succeeding long-serving chairman Felix Anyansi-Agwu, Kanu has come under sustained criticism over what many describe as an absentee leadership style, compounded by Enyimba’s declining performances on the pitch. While the former Arsenal and Inter Milan star has defended his tenure, citing reforms in the club’s youth structure and ongoing stadium upgrades, the unresolved questions surrounding the $1 million AFL payout have emboldened his critics.
With the Abia State Government now demanding a financial “play-by-play” of the AFL funds, Kanu finds himself at a crossroads. The football icon must now demonstrate that the leadership qualities that defined his illustrious playing career can translate into accountability, transparency, and effective governance in the boardroom.
