Remo Stars captain Junior Nduka and his teammate Sodiq Ismail have dedicated the club’s first-ever Nigeria Premier Football League to their fans, The PUNCH reports.
The Sky Blue Stars won their first-ever NPFL title in front of their fans in Ikenne, thanks to a 1-0 win over Niger Tornadoes in a match-day 35 game.
Second half substitute Olamilekan Adedayo proved decisive for the club again, scoring a late stunner to send the arena into romp after their visitors had frustrated them for 83 minutes.
Reflecting on the achievement of winning the league with Remo Stars, Nduka and Ismail, who developed through the ranks at the club acknowledged the collective effort that made the success possible.
“It’s an amazing feeling for me because, over the years, we have been building the team and striving to make sure we become champions one day. Finally, we are and this feeling will be part of me for the rest of my life,” Nduka told PUNCH Sports Extra.
“We want to thank our fans, thank you for staying with us all through the years,” the captain said in a video shared by the club.
Ismail, who was dubbed the assist king also said, “I will say congratulations to myself. I will say congratulations to the team, congratulations to the fans, you know without the fans we cannot do it. A very big congratulations to them.
“Before the season started, we had it in mind that we were going to win the league, and with the hard work we put in and the help of the supporters, I think we achieved our aims,” Ismail added.
Nduka began his journey at the club’s academy and came through the ranks at Remo to make his NPFL debut in 2021 when they returned to the topflight.
Earlier this season (October 2024), he joined the exclusive list of players to have made 100 appearances in the NPFL during their nervy 2-1 win over former champions Rangers International in Ikenne.
After becoming a centurion, he had hoped to make his longevity count at the club this season after narrowly missing out on the title in the last two seasons.
“We are still working in progress; we are not there yet. It’s not a sprint but a marathon. We will keep striving and stay consistent so we can make it count this season,” Nduka told PUNCH Sports Extra in October 2024.
