Owumi Reminds Clubs: Respect Rules, Protect NPFL Asset

Davidson Owumi, Chief Operating Officer of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), has urged club chairmen and general managers to safeguard the reputation of the league as a valuable commercial brand.

In a New Year memo titled ‘Protecting and Building the NPFL Brand’, the former league top scorer reassured clubs of fairness, excellence, and neutrality in the administration of league operations.

Owumi praised the cooperation of club administrators, which he said contributed to the near seamless running of the first half of the season. He appealed for even greater adherence to the rules as the campaign enters its decisive stages.

Charging the clubs to act as chief marketers of the NPFL, he warned against negative public commentary that could undermine the league’s market value.

‘It is very important to remind all of us that we have a responsibility to protect and build the NPFL asset for the good of all stakeholders,’ he wrote.

‘As club leaders, you are the first ambassadors of the NPFL because the league entity belongs to you. There will be no league without the 20 participating clubs, hence your prime place in the affairs of the league cannot be overemphasised.’

Owumi cautioned that disparaging remarks from club leaders risk eroding the progress achieved under the Otunba Gbenga Elegbeleye-led board over the past four seasons.

He advised those aggrieved by decisions on or off the field to use established communication channels rather than resorting to public criticism.

‘No club owner or administrator should be seen or heard disparaging the league. This is equivalent to pulling down your own house while inside,’ he stressed.

He concluded by reminding clubs that actions bringing the league into disrepute carry consequences. While the NPFL Board does not intend to wield disciplinary provisions unnecessarily, Owumi emphasized that all stakeholders remain subject to the league’s rules at all times.