Fans laud Ugwuanyi’s over Rangers’ turnaround

Fans of Enugu Rangers International Football Club have paid glowing tributes to Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, for his resilience towards revamping the club.

The fans who spoke during the launch of “The New Dawn,” a book one of the oldest clubs in teh country, written by Basil Ojengwa, at The Base Event Centre, Enugu, narrated with nostalgia how Gov. Ugwuanyi repositioned and gave maximum support to the club, which enable it to win the 2016 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) and the 2018 NFF/AITEO Federation Cup, after 32 years without winning a trophy.

Describing the governor as a jinx breaker, the Rangers fans, said that the governor’s achievements, commitment and steadfastness in returning the club to its winning ways as well as other feats in the sport industry were legendary and unprecedented.

They added that lovers of Rangers FC all over the world are indebted to the governor for resuscitating the club’s ‘Never Say Die’ spirit, which according to them, was the pride of the Igbo man, after the Civil War.

Reviewing the book, the member representing Ezeagu Constituency in the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Chima Obieze, highlighted that the author narrated “the contributions of a great leader (Ugwuanyi) who can best be described as a peaceful leader, lover of football, silent achiever and a consensus builder.”

The lawmaker explained that the five-chapter book also dwelt on the evolution of football and football clubs, the advent of football in Africa as well as the metamorphosis of the name Rangers “through a military name used during the Nigerian Civil War”, among other narratives.

In his address, Gov. Ugwuanyi who expressed delight at the event, said that he was evoked by “the reminiscence of the rich history and career trajectory of Rangers International football Club”, when he received the invitation for the book launch.