- By Demola Atobaba, Ado-Ekiti
It was a great excitement as Ekiti Queens Football Club secured a space in the elite female soccer league in Nigeria for the first time, where the team successfully defied all odds to maintain and retain its Premier League Status.
Ekiti Queens who emerged from a nerve-shredding afternoon with their NWFL-Premiership status intact thanks to a 2-0 victory over Rivers Angels FC at the popular Oluyemi Kayode Stadium, Ado-Ekiti.
Two goals in each half by Olaleye Odunayo in the 17th minute of the game and Ismail Zainab in the 86th minute ensured that the debutants keep their place in Nigerian women top-flight football.
Recall that Ekiti Queens suffered a 2-0 loss to the Jewels of Rivers in the reverse fixture in Port Harcourt.
But this time around, it was a victory celebrated like winning the title on Wednesday when Ekiti Queens FC defeated highly rated Rivers Angels by 2 goals to nil.
The victory gave the BAORESS Babes 14 points ahead of another highly rated South West female team, Sunshine Queens FC that only had 13 points after losing by 2 goals to 1 in Ogun State against Remo Queens.
The Ekiti Queens match was graced by hundreds of fans and Sports stakeholders who all came to cheer the girls to victory amidst tension and pressure on the sidelines.
First half goals via penalty and a clinical second half goal were enough for Ekiti Queens to remain in the top flight female football league next season.
Ekiti Queens Fans Club led by Mrs Tayo Popoola danced to the admiration of the spectators while drummers and trumpeters came out with their finest performance.
The chairman Ekiti State Football Association; Aare Oluwole Oloworemo, former Permanent Secretary; Ministry of Youth and Sports Development; Mr Yemi Owoseni, former chairman Ekiti State Sports Council; Prince Ademola Adetola as well as governor’s aides including the SSA Sports; Hon. Tunde Adesanya; S.A Sports, Kolawole Owoseni and one of the figures that stood solidly behind the BAORESS Babes, Hon. Israel Adesokan Jaru could not hide their joy as they celebrated like winning the Female World Cup.
Prior to the last round of matches in the NWFL regular season, Ekiti Queens were faced with an uphill battle to escape the drop alongside their neighbours, Sunshine Queens.
The Ekiti State Referees Council, Sports Writers Association, Coaches Association, Ekiti State Players Union, Sports Council officials as well as Ekiti United FC officials, players and supporters all trouped out en-masse to drum support for Ekiti Queens FC for them to brive doubters wrong and do the state proud.
The reason for the celebration was not far fetched as every stakeholder in Ekiti State had worked hard to ensure that the trust , confidence and support of the Sports loving governor of the State, Mr Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji who magnanimously secured a space for the girls in the Women Premier league were not wasted.
It was indeed a meritorious achievement as Ekiti State is able to showcase a female team in the top most league in Nigeria for the first time and most importantly maintain the status despite the huge challenges and sacrifices while the league lasted.
However, Sunshine Queens were relegated after losing 2-1 against Remo Stars Ladies away from home in a dramatic season finale.
With the result, Ekiti Queens, who made history to become the first women’s football team from Ekiti State to compete in the top tier after just a single season in the NWFL’s second tier will represent the state next season.
