August 12, (THEWILL) — The Chairman of Lobi Stars Football Club of Makurdi, Dr Philip Nongo, has identified corruption and backbiting by former managers of the club as some of the factors that led to its relegation from the 2024/2025 Premier League status.
Doctor Nongo, who made the disclosure while speaking on the activities of the club in Makurdi on Monday, noted that prior to his appointment by Governor Alia as chairman of the club, the Dominic Iorfa-led leadership had already registered all players and left behind three months’ salary arrears.
According to him, Coach Eugine Agagbe was signed for N1.5 million on a monthly basis, but only N500,000 was getting to him, just like some players of the club, leading to low morale in the system.
“The July salary was not diverted by my leadership, but delayed because players were on break and I had to ensure that all of them were back and personally sign to collect it rather than post it in their bank accounts”, Dr Nongo stated.
Nongo, who is the Permanent Secretary and Acting Commissioner in the Ministry of Youths, Sports and Creativity, denied insinuation in some quarters that he is running the club as a sole Administrator, pointing out that all board members were carried along in the scheme of things.
“As a civil servant, I must ensure due process. Any Kobo that is going out, the receiver must sign for the purpose of record-keeping. This may not go down well with others, but it is a task that must be done”, he assured.
He disclosed that a committee was set made up of board members, which shortlisted three Technical Advisers for the club, in which Bala Abubakar was found most suitable and engaged to take Lobi Stars back to the Premier League next year, describing Abubakar as a homecoming, having worked in the club before.
According to Dr Nongo, the Akume Atongo stadium in Katsina-Ala will serve as a standby for the club in case the Aper Aku and Macathy stadiums are not yet ready at the take-off point in the 2025/2026 Nigeria Nationwide League season.
Bala Abubakar, while responding after the unveiling ceremony, assured that he has what it takes to work hard to return Lobi Stars to its past glory, assuring that merit and quality of players are the conditions that would give them a shirt for the club.
The Niger State-born Coach, therefore, solicited cooperation from the government and soccer-loving people of Benue state to deliver on the task ahead.
In her remarks, the State Chairman of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Comrade Hembadoon Orsar, urged management of Lobi Stars to carry swam members along in the scheme of things.
She pledged the cooperation and adequate publicity of sporting activities in the state for the good of all, hoping that both the Aku and Macathy stadiums would be completed in record time for Lobi Stars to play home matches in the state.
