By Harry Awurumibe
Nigeria’s representatives in the West African Football Union (WAFU-B) tournament, Rivers Angels Football Club, is on the verge of making history in women’s football both in the domestic and international stage
as they face Amis du Monde of Togo on Monday in the semi final tie at Stade Champroux in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire.
The Rivers State Government- owned women’s football club is known to be a pace-setter in the history of women’s football in Nigeria and Africa if the number of trophies in its cupboard are anything to rely upon just as it has also achieved alot of milestones in the country since inception.
The club was founded as Larry Angels FC in 1986 by Prince Lawrence Ezeh, a native of Mbaise in Imo State who was a successful businessman in Port Harcourt and sports philanthropist.
Larry was one of the few visionaries who spent their hard earned money to fund the early women’s football clubs in Nigeria even when the then Nigeria Football Association (NFA) had not officially recognised women’s football in Nigeria.
Rivers Angels FC, (which was at a point called Rivers Mermaids) was the first club in the country to win a coveted trophy of any type when it came tops at the newly introduced Female Football Event of the 1989 National Sports Festival, held in the then capital of Nigeria, Lagos State.
The approval to include women’s football at that Sports Festival as an exhibition event was granted by ex-Minister of Social Development, Youth and Sports, Alabo Graham-Douglas. Its wide acceptance during the festival was to force the NFA led by late Chairman, Pa Chuba Ikpeazu in 1990 to listen to the defunct Nigeria Female Football Proprietors Association (NIFFPA) led by four prominent club owners.
They were Chief Christopher Abisuga of Golden Wonders FC of Lagos; Elder Bola Kuejunbola of Ufuoma Babes of Warri; Princess Bola Jegede of Jegede Babes FC of Lagos and Chief Larry Ezeh of Rivers Angels.
With three of the “Big Four Clubs” defunct, only Rivers Angels has stayed up even as it has continue to wax stronger by the year and still winning trophies.
Also, Rivers Angels won the maiden edition of Olu of Warri Cup held in Warri, Delta State in 1989 just as the club produced some key players of the pioneer national senior women’s football team, Super Falcons squad that went to the FIFA Women’s World Cup final in China 1991.
They include Nigeria’s 1st individual Olympic Gold Medalist, Policewoman Chioma Ajunwa who was the captain of the team between 1988 and 1990, Rita Nwadike, Christiana Akpuluo and Patricia Okorom.
But before the end of 1991, financial challenges hit the club and it forced the founder to accept an offer by then Rivers State 1st Lady, wife of Military Governor, Godwin Osagie Abbe, for the state to takeover the club hence the name changed to Rivers Angels FC.
This ownership deal has also paid off handsomely for the club and state even as the club
popularly called ‘The Pride of Rivers’ won the Nigeria Women’s Football League first in 1994 and has won it seven times including 2020/21 edition.
Again, Rivers Angels FC remains the only Nigerian women’s football club to win the FA Cup (Women) 8 times and 5 in a row starting from
2010 to 2014 (5 in a row).
The club is the only one in Nigeria to become Double Champions on three occasions by virtue of winning the National Women’s League and FA Cup (Women’s) in 2010, 2014 and 2016 as well as the Super Cup and FA Cup (Women’s) in the same year just it won the newly introduced Super Six this year at Ijebu-Ode, Ogun state.
With the above pedigree, it will be a big upset if Rivers Angels fail to beat the Togolese club to pick WCL ticket and also reach the final of the competition in Abidjan because Republic of Togo has not started organised women’s football when Nigerian clubs were playing professional football league.
The club from the oil-rich Rivers State in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria can be said to have
justified all the money invested in it by successive administrations in the state especially the government of Chief Nyesom Wike who has done more than his predecessors by providing everything the team required to perform at the highest level.
The club which is Seven Million Naira (N7m) courtesy of the Chairman of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State who promised the team One Million Naira (N1m) per goal in the competition, will do itself favour by defeating its opponent in the semi final clash on Monday.
This is why History Beckons at Rivers Angels in WAFU-B Tournament in Abidjan and should the club wins, it will not only pick a ticket for the maiden CAF Women’s Champions League competition slated for Egypt later in the year, the players will be following in the footsteps of their illustrious players who won several trophies and have gone to be international stars.
Among these players are:
Chioma Ajunwa
Asisat Oshoala
Chiamaka Nnadozie
Ebere Orji
Francisca Ordega
Stella Mbachu
Uche Eucharia
Florence Kike Ajayi
Cathy Bou Ndjouh- (Cameroon)
Evelyn Nwabuoku
Ngozi Ebere
Elizabeth Addo- (Ghana)
Rivers Angels FC Milestones:
*1989- Won National Sports Festival Football
*1989- Won Olu of Warri Cup
*1994- Won Nigeria Women’s Football League 1st Champion and won it for 7 times.
*2010-Won FA Cup (Women) first time; won it 5 in a row (2010 to 2014) and won 8 times
*2018- Nigeria Women’s Super Cup
*2018- Were Double Champions (League/FA Cup) in 2010, 2014 and 2016
*2018- Won Super Cup/ FA Cup
Meanwhile, below are the final pairings for the two semi-final matches:
- 1st Semi final:
USFA vs Hasaacas Ladies FC - 2nd Semi final: Rivers Angels vs Amis du Monde
Harry Awurumibe, Africa’s No.1 Women’s Football Journalist
