Fast-rising sports kit entrepreneur, Paul Maduakor has joined in celebrating the emergence of Rangers International of Enugu as the new Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL) champions.
The Flying Antelopes pulled off the feat on Sunday with a 2-0 spanking of Bendel Insurance of Benin City at Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu, and they garnered an unassailable 57 points atop the NPFL log.
In his reaction, Maduakor said it was a victory well deserved by The Coal City side and used the opportunity to unfold major plans by his company, ProStar Sports International, especially as he noted a revival in the followership of NPFL matches by fans.
Maduakor, who is also the president of Nigerian Amputee Football Federation (NAFF), declared: “I was in Enugu last week, and I witnessed how fans came out in their thousands to watch Rangers and Enyimba. This truly shows that football has returned home.
“Today, seeing Enugu Rangers being crowned the NPFL winners, makes me to say congratulations to them. I feel that this is a great thing for the team and we at ProStar Sports International.
“We are celebrating with the new champions. This is the eighth time they are winning it and, for what we also stand for, we believe that, come next season, it will be a great year for Nigeria.”
Maduakor went on to speak about recent strides made by his company, especially regarding their partnership with the second-tier Nigeria National League (NNL), and enthused that there are signs of better days ahead of the round leather game in the country.
“With the element of what we have seen in the NNL and now the NPFL, things look very promising for Nigerian football. We have signed a five-year deal with the NNL in terms of unveiling the official ball. We are rebranding everything about sports.
“We are looking at a side of sports that has to do with casual wears and a lot of different balls. Today, we are producing not only footballs but also basketballs, volleyballs, baseballs and soft balls.
“We have different balls in our store and casual wears of various designs. That’s what we are coming out with.
“With this achievement of Rangers, and the huge fans we see coming back to the stadium, we believe that greater things are here for Nigerian football and Nigerian sports in general.
“Having seen a real champion emerge as the NPFL winner for this year, we believe it is a sign of better things ahead for Nigerian football and we at ProStar Sports International,” Maduakor projected with a strong air of enthusiasm.
Incidentally, the victory by Rangers of Sunday means they have won the 2023/2024 NPFL season with a game to spare, such that next weekend’s trip to Gombe United for their last match of the campaign has become a mere formality for The Flying Antelopes.
