Kan U believe it: Super Eagles icon Nwankwo Kanu on trial after Enyimba slip into relegation

Two-time African champions Enyimba F.C. have officially slipped into a relegation scrap, and the spotlight is now firmly on club chairman Nwankwo Kanu.

Sunday’s 1–0 home defeat to Ikorodu City F.C. at the Enyimba International Stadium has left the People’s Elephant 14th on the table with 31 points, just two points above the drop zone.

For a club that once defined dominance in the Nigeria Premier Football League, NPFL, survival anxiety now replaces title ambition.

When Kanu was appointed chairman in 2023, optimism flooded Aba. A Super Eagles icon at the helm. A fresh vision. A revival story waiting to be written.

Instead, this season has descended into instability.

Enyimba have cycled through four different coaches. Recruitment decisions have been questioned. Administrative direction appears blurred. The cohesion that once made Aba a fortress has evaporated.

One analyst summed up the mood bluntly:

“Enyimba are two points off the relegation zone in the NPFL. It is not exactly covering the club chairmanship of former AFOTY Papilo in glory.”

This was never supposed to happen in Aba. But the table does not respect history. The criticism is no longer whispered, it is public, and growing.

From disbelief to anger, the mood among supporters has shifted dramatically from shock to frustration.

Next comes a daunting trip to Port Harcourt to face Rivers United, managed by Finidi George, who is also on the chopping board after poor outings on the continent. Many fans fear that defeat there could officially drag Enyimba into the bottom four.

Pressure has even reached political corridors. One stakeholder issued a pointed warning to Abia State Governor Alex Otti:

“You must act now. Enyimba are two points off relegation. The table doesn’t lie.” The message is clear: intervention is being demanded.

Mid-season structural changes, including the appointments of Deutsch Emmanuel Gustave as head coach and Daniel Eke as sporting director, have yet to steady the ship.

11 defeats in 26 games, back-to-back defeats, 28 goals conceded, 26 goals scored. Toothless displays, and a fading aura.

For decades, Enyimba represented certainty, trophies, continental nights, and intimidation. Now, they represent vulnerability.

If results do not improve quickly, the most decorated club in Nigerian football history could face an unimaginable reality: second-tier football.

And for Kanu, a glittering playing legacy risks being clouded by a chairmanship defined not by revival, but by unimaginable regression.