Dons Eze
ENUGU RANGERS: STILL FANNING THE FLAMES
Mazi Jaka captured the situation in Igbo land after the civil war thus: “At the end of the war, the leadership class in Igbo land was in tatters and lacking in confidence. Many had died or been killed during the war. Some others had fled into exile and what was left in the country lacked confidence. Their livelihoods were gone, their stature diminished, and their self-belief and judgement in question. A new leadership cadre was desperately needed but it was difficult to know where to find it.”
Jaka added that “The re-discovery of the dignity of the people of the East Central State (after the civil war) …centered around a football club launched from the ruins of the war in Enugu in 1970. It was called Rangers International.”
Fortunately, Rangers International came to fill the void. The club therefore became “a convergence point for Biafran Igbo nationalism.”
Formed on January 29, 1970 by Ernest Ufele, just two weeks after the war ended, Enugu Rangers (as the club is fondly called), are the identity of the Igbo race. Even though General Yakubu Gowon’s post-civil war “3Rs” (Reconstruction, Reconciliation and Reintegration) failed in all ramifications, Rangers International became the quickest way of reintegrating the Ndigbo into Nigeria after the civil war.
The club represented the hope of Igbo people and their rebuilding process. Nicknamed the “Flying Antelopes” (after their logo, which has an Antelope), and because of “their agility and skillfulness on the football pitch,” the all-conquering Rangers International FC dominated Nigeria football scene, and even extended the foray to the continental level, for several decades.
The club lifted Ndigbo from the ashes of the war and healed them of the stigma and psychological trauma associated with people defeated in war. They demonstrated the spartan spirit endowed in an average Igbo man, reaching the finals of the FA Cup that same year it was formed, but unfortunately lost narrowly to the Shooting Stars FC of Ibadan, the club which later became their arch rivals. Nevertheless, Rangers came back stronger in subsequent years, dominating Nigeria and international football for decades. Thus, Rangers International achieved for Ndigbo what the guns could not achieve in the battle field.
Though Rangers lost 1-2 to Shooting Stars FC of Ibadan in the Nigeria FA Cup in 1970, their victory in a national tournament that year was enough to qualify them for the 1971 African Cup of Champions’ Clubs. Unfortunately, they lost 0-3 on aggregate to ASEC Mimosas in the quarterfinal.
Since formation, Rangers International FC won the Nigeria Premier League a record of eight times – 1974, 1975, 1977, 1981, 1982, 1984, 2016 and 2024; Nigerian FA Cup, six times – 1974, 1975, 1976, 1981, 1983 and 2018, and Nigeria Super Cup, once, 2004.
In the history of the Nigeria football, Rangers International Football Club of Enugu, is the only club that has never been relegated to a lower division.
In the continental scene, Enugu Rangers were runners-up in the African Cup of Champions Club in 1975; winners of the African Cup Winners’ Cup in 1977; they made 10 appearances in the African Cup of Champions Clubs/CAF Champions League; seven appearances in African Cup of Champions Clubs from 1971 to 1985; and three appearances in CAF Champions League from 2006 to 2017.
Rangers became the first Nigerian club side to be a public company and sell ownership stocks, that was in November 2008.
At the same time, Rangers players were key players in Nigeria’s National Team, the Green Eagles. In fact, Rangers’ Captain Chairman Christian Chukwu, was also Captain of the Green Eagles for many years, while the club’s goalkeeper Emmanuel Okola, was Eagles’ first choice. Chukwu also coached the national team.
Other Rangers payers who featured for the Green Eagles were Aloysius Atiegbu (popularly known as the Blockbuster), Silvanus Okpala (Quick Silver),
Adokiye Amiesimaka ( Chief Justice), among others. It produced a number of players who helped Nigeria to win her first African Cup of Nations in 1980.
Two other players, Louis Igwuilo (Commander), and Austin (Jay Jay) Okocha, were also to captain Nigeria’s national team.
There was myth surrounding Rangers’ goalkeeper, Okala, that for years many Nigerians believed it was impossible to score the team once Okala was between the posts. Chief Ogbonnaya Kanu Okoro recalled how in 1972 how a local side Arochukwu XI celebrated with gun shots, for scoring “one goal against the monster Okala”, despite losing the game 10-1 to Rangers. The match was played at Aggrey Memorial Secondary School ground in Arochukwu.
It was not all roses for the club. After her 5-4 loss to the Stationery Stores of Lagos on penalty kicks at professional league in 1990, Rangers could not make another cup final appearance until 1998 when they finished third best in the league.
The club nearly go into relegation after 2015 season, but was able to reinvent themselves a year later, winning her first Nigeria Premier League in 34 years, since 1982. However, in 2017, Rangers again struggled in the league, finishing 14th position. But a year later, in 2018, club won their first Nigerian Cup in 35 years, beating Kano Pillars on penalties.
Currently 4th position after 12 games in the present league season, Rangers International extended their league title wins in the 2023/2024 NPFL championship, defeating Bendel Insurance by 2-0, even with a game to play.
It is hoped that Rangers International will continue to remain the hope and inspiration of Ndigbo, and “convergence point for … Igbo nationalism.”
Written by Onyekachi Eze
