At the tail end of a season that never quite took off, the headquarters of Rangers International FC felt unusually calm. No crowds. No chaos. Just Amobi Ezeaku suited, measured, and unmistakably focused laying out the roadmap for what he calls a “quiet revolution.”
The 10th-place finish in the 2024/25 Nigeria Premier Football League season was a comedown for a team that had lifted the title just a year before. But Ezeaku, the club’s 35-year-old General Manager and CEO, isn’t flinching.
“I take full responsibility,” he says, with the kind of clarity that defuses blame before it forms. “When we won the league, everyone was a messiah. This season, we struggled — and that’s on me.”
This past season was more turbulent: 14 wins, 10 draws, and 14 defeats. Still, Rangers held one of the NPFL’s best away records — 3 wins, 8 draws only bettered by champions Remo Stars.
Commissioner for Youths and sports Barr Lloyd Ekweremadu and the Rangers players and officials from the 2023/2024 title winning team. Photo Credit: X
It wasn’t a rehearsed line. If anything, it felt like the beginning of a bigger story. Because while the pitch wasn’t always kind, Rangers were making strides where it mattered most to Ezeaku: infrastructure, funding, partnerships, and global relevance.
From Grit to Growth
When Ezeaku talks about Rangers’ financial model, he doesn’t sound like a typical Nigerian football administrator. He speaks in strategic targets, multi-year timelines, and numbers that suggest ambition beyond borders.
“₦500 million in sponsorships and partnerships,” he says without blinking. “That’s what we’ve raised in two years — ₦150 million from Afrinvest, ₦200 million from Nortra Tractors and other donations.”
This isn’t just survival, it’s intentional growth. But the real headline? A 40% reduction in state funding dependency by 2027.
“That’s how real football systems work,” he adds. “That’s the path we’re on.”
Group Managing Director of Afrinvest, Prince Ike Chioke and Commissioner for Youths and sports Barr Lloyd Ekweremadu, COO Npfl Davidson Owumi (L) during the front shirt sponsorship signing. Photo Credit: X
The club’s evolving financial ecosystem isn’t built solely on corporations. Private individuals like Prince Arthur Eze, and Prince Ike Chioke have quietly backed the team with direct contributions, sometimes refusing even to be named.
“Some of them just want Rangers to rise,” Ezeaku says. “They believe in the badge.”
Kits, Flights, and Football Culture
This past season, Rangers players received a fresh, branded jersey for every single match — over 45 in total. In most leagues, that’s routine. In Nigeria, it’s unprecedented.
“Each player wore a new jersey for every game,” Ezeaku reveals. “That’s never happened before — not even for the national team.”
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Around 30% of the club’s away trips were handled via air travel. Small detail, big shift. It signalled a club quietly aligning itself with professional standards that go beyond the NPFL.
Europe Is Watching
One week after Rangers signed a partnership with Swiss club FC Schaffhausen, Terkana Garando flew to Europe to complete a deal. Medical checks halted the transfer surgery was advised but that’s not the full story.
“Now the doctors say it may not require surgery. There’s a non-surgical path being explored in Lagos,” Ezeaku explains. “But that move, even if it didn’t go through, showed what this partnership means.”
Rangers GM Amobi Ezeaku and FC Schaffhausen official. Photo Credit:X
What started as a club-to-club connection has turned into a continental bridge. Since the agreement, Rangers have been fielding inquiries from clubs across Europe.
“Switzerland sits in the heart of the continent,” he says. “That link opens doors not just for players, but for coaching, administration, everything.”
Fidelis Ilechukwu: Staying Power
One question that loomed over Rangers’ plans was the future of coach Fidelis Ilechukwu, who led them to the title in his first season but saw a dip in Year Two.
Ezeaku talked about Ilechukwu’s improved contract.
“He only asked me one question: ‘Boss, are you staying?’ I told him yes. That was it.”
It wasn’t a negotiation. It was a matter of trust.
Ilechukwu, 46, was appointed in July 2023 to replace Abdul Maikaba. In his first season, he delivered the club’s eighth league title with a record of 21 wins, 7 draws, and 10 losses. It was his first major trophy as a manager.
Rangers GM Amobi Ezeaku and Fidelis Ilechukwu. Photo Credit: X
In total, Ilechukwu has led Rangers in 75 matches, recording 35 wins, 17 draws, and 23 losses.
“I told him not to believe the rumours about me stepping down,” Ezeaku says. “We’re in this together. As long as I’m here, he’s part of our vision.”
The specifics of the contract remain confidential, but Ezeaku confirms they were upgraded to reflect the coach’s value and the club’s intent to build continuity.
Two years into a four-year strategic plan, Rangers say they’ve already met 70% of their goals. The rest? It’s in the works — more partnerships, an international preseason camp, and even bolder targets.
“We want preseason abroad. We want more sponsors. We want to take Rangers global,” Ezeaku declares.
Rangers players celebrating a goal at the Cathedral Enugu. Photo Credit: The Athletic Images
But beneath the corporate structure and PowerPoint goals lies something more emotional — more cultural.
“This badge means more than football,” he says. “It’s a movement of our people. That’s why I don’t sit in VIP boxes. I want to be among the people. This is deeper than a game.”
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Now two years into a four-year strategic plan, Rangers has already achieved about 70% of its outlined targets, according to internal assessments. Ezeaku urged fans and stakeholders to judge the club with an objective lens.
“Rome wasn’t built in a day. Even today, you’ll still find scaffolding in Rome. But there’s now a light at the end of this tunnel. For the first time, Rangers has a blueprint.”
He closed by calling for continued support, corporate partnerships, and belief in the club’s direction.
