The Organising Committee of the Southwest Games has congratulated Remo Stars Football Club on their historic victory in the 2024/2025 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), hailing the achievement as a landmark moment in Nigerian football.
The Ikenne-based side sealed their first-ever top-flight title with a dramatic 1-0 victory over Niger Tornadoes on Sunday, during their match-day 35 encounter. The win, secured before a jubilant home crowd at the Remo Stars Stadium, ensured they clinched the title with three matches to spare — a feat not seen in the NPFL since Udoji United’s triumph under Oscar Udoji in 1996.
In a heartfelt goodwill message, Dr Lanre Alfred, Chairman of the Southwest Games, paid tribute to the team’s remarkable achievement.
“Today, we celebrate Remo Stars’ much-deserved victory, and also the triumph of vision, hard work, and the team’s indomitable spirit,” he said. “Congratulations to the entire Remo Stars family for achieving this extraordinary milestone. Your dedication, teamwork, and relentless pursuit of excellence have been nothing short of inspiring. You have shown that dreams, when pursued with discipline and courage, can indeed become reality.”
Alfred also noted that the club’s success would inspire countless young footballers across Nigeria. “The triumph of Remo Stars is a victory for every young boy dreaming on the dusty fields of our towns and cities,” he added. “It tells them that with hard work, discipline, and the right support, greatness is within reach.”
Special praise was reserved for the club’s founder and owner, Hon Kunle Soname, whose vision and leadership have been central to Remo Stars’ meteoric rise.
“To Hon Kunle Soname, I extend a heartfelt salute,” Alfred said. “Your commitment to building a football institution grounded in excellence has borne glorious fruit. Your belief in youth, your investment in infrastructure, and your passion for the beautiful game have culminated in this historic moment. That this victory coincides with your 59th birthday makes it all the more poignant — a fitting gift to a man who has supported the dreams of so many others. May this triumph be the first of many greater victories to come.”
The crucial goal that secured the title came courtesy of Adebayo Olamilekan Sulaiman, whose heroics will be remembered for generations. His decisive strike ignited emotional celebrations across Ikenne and beyond.
Remo Stars’ triumph is especially significant for the Southwest region. They are the first team from the region to win the NPFL since Julius Berger FC’s success in 2000, restoring regional pride and inspiring a new generation of young footballers across Ogun State and the wider Southwest.
Under the astute leadership of Head Coach Daniel Ogunmodede, the Sky Blues have dazzled supporters all season with their brand of attractive, disciplined football. With a 10-point gap separating them from second-placed Rivers United, Remo Stars have set a new benchmark for excellence in the domestic game.
Their journey to the title has been characterised by a steely resolve, overcoming fierce competition from Nigeria’s traditional football powerhouses and navigating the unpredictable nature of the NPFL.
As celebrations continue in Ikenne and across the Southwest, the Southwest Games Organising Committee praised Remo Stars as a shining example of what unity, vision, and collective purpose can achieve.
