Eunisell Awards: NPFL’s decision will scare away potential sponsors

In recent times, the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) Board, led by Otunba Gbenga Elebyeleye, has won accolades because of the way it successfully organised the 2024/2025 season, culminating into the harmonisation of the NPFL calendar with leagues in Europe. However, the NPFL board sadly smeared its image with the recent decision to stop the […]

In recent times, the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) Board, led by Otunba Gbenga Elebyeleye, has won accolades because of the way it successfully organised the 2024/2025 season, culminating into the harmonisation of the NPFL calendar with leagues in Europe. However, the NPFL board sadly smeared its image with the recent decision to stop the annual Eunisell Golden Boot awards.

The award for the highest goal-scorer in the NPFL is sponsored annually by Eunisell Limited, one of Africa’s leading specialty chemicals and oil fields solutions companies. Beginning from 2028, the company has been rewarding the highest goal-scorer in the NPFL with N200,000 per goal, plus a golden boot, which is presented to him at an elaborate ceremony.

The winner of the inaugural edition was Junior Lokosa when he was playing for Kano Pillars. His 19 goals in the 2017/2018 season fetched him N3.8 million from Eunisell. Other distinguished winners include Sunusi Ibrahim and Mfon Udoh (2019); Nasarawa United and Enyimba); Israel Abia (2020; Rangers) and Chijioke Akuneto (2022; Rivers United). Undoubtedly, the monetary reward to these outstanding players has continued to inspire other players to put in their best performances in the NPFL.

Arrangements were in top gear for this year’s event before the sudden decision by the NPFL to stop what has become a source of inspiration for players in the league. Nasarawa United’s captain and prolific striker, Anas Yusuf, who emerged the highest goal-scorer in the 2025 season with 18 goals was preparing to travel to Lagos for his cash reward of N3.6 million from Eunisell but his joy was cut short by the NPFL.

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A few hours to the proposed day for his coronation in Lagos, the chairman of the league board, Otunba Elegbeleye, on June 11, stunned many with the public declaration that the award, which has been in existence since 2018, was illegal and unknown to the NPFL board.

In a statement he personally signed, Elegbeleye noted: “It has come to our attention that your company has been using the name and mark, the Nigeria Premier Football League, for an award ceremony, viz, Eunisell Highest Goal Scorer award.

“This award is an illegal use of our title, in that you do not have a partnership with the NPFL, nor have you sought approval from the board of the NPFL to use the league we organised.

“This notice serves as a warning to desist or we will have no option but to write to the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, a development that will bring your company to disrepute.

“You are invited to seize this opportunity to commence discussion to remedy the abnormality, which we read online announcing the award date.”

Without a single doubt, the action taken by the NPFL board has thrown up a lot of issues that must be critically looked at for the good of the league, the players and all football stakeholders. To start with, the claim by the chairman that the Eunisell award is illegal is not anchored on any existing law. He didn’t quote any law to prove that it is mandatory for independent award organisers to seek and get the approval of the league body.

Secondly, it is also a known fact that most of the awards that are organised in other leagues are done independent of such leagues. I stand to be corrected, but the biggest awards in football are not organised by the leagues or at the global level, FIFA. I reiterate that football’s biggest awards are independently organised, while the league administrators attend for a show of solidarity.

For instance, globally recognised awards like Football Writers Awards, Professional Footballers Awards, BBC African Footballer Award in England, Pichichi (Spain), Ebony Shoes (Belgium), Ballon d’Or (global) and organised by individuals. FIFA or UEFA have never had issues with organisers of the Ballon d’Or, which is presented by France Football, a French magazine.

The French magazine was the sole organiser from 1956 to 2024 when UEFA became a co-organiser. Coming nearer home, CAF has never had any problem with the BBC for organising its own award to honour the best football player in Africa. Our own Ademola Lookman won the prestigious award in 2024. In other climes, such individual contributions are celebrated and not condemned. Unfortunately, Nigeria is always going in the opposite direction.

Thirdly, Eunisell awards were successfully organised for years before the present NPFL board was constituted. Does it mean that those who didn’t stop it knew nothing about football administration or league management? This would have been the first edition under the current leadership. Is there something else that some of us do not know?

Furthermore, it may interest Nigerians to know that before now, Eunisell had served as Rivers United shirt sponsors and are currently sponsoring Abia Warriors. This is coming at a time when most organisations are reluctant to do business with the NPFL. For the league “owner” to describe such a corporate organisation as unscrupulous and illegal, having contributed immensely to uplifting the standard of the league is definitely uncharitable.

Although there is nothing wrong if the NPFL demands to be invited to the awards ceremony, approval for the event to be organised is not mandatory. If, for instance, the chief in Anas Yusuf’s village wants to reward him with a traditional title for his outstanding performance in the league, must he seek NPFL’s approval to honour his son? Maybe it will be another ambush marketing.

So, it is better the NPFL focuses on rebranding the league and making it more attractive. Already, football stakeholders are upset that this same league that does not have a title sponsor for so many years is chasing away a potential sponsor.

Whatever the “offence,” the NPFL board should have approached the matter with tact and decorum by inviting the representatives of Eunisell for a mutual discussion. Such a meeting would have amicably resolved some of the issues that compelled the league organisers to issue such a damning statement. Indeed, the use of harsh and uncomplimentary words to describe an organisation that is supporting the growth of the league – whether legally or illegally – must be discouraged.

In fact, what has just happened between the NPFL and Eunisell is like a case of a foolish man who wants his “destiny helper” to come and beg him. You can’t be poor, yet give strenuous conditions to those who are coming with their hard earned money to save you from your pathetic condition.

What is even more worrisome is that the controversial decision has denied Yusuf the sum of N3.6 million, which would have impacted his life significantly. In fact, the poor chap may be wondering if his “village people” are after him. Recently, even as the reigning NPFL highest goal scorer, he was overlooked when the Super Eagles coach, Eric Chelle invited a number of home-based players for the Unity Cup tournament and the international friendly match with Russia in Moscow. This absurd decision by the NPFL has only added salt on his injuries.