For the first time in six years, football returns to the Aper Aku Stadium, Makurdi, traditional home ground of the Benue State sponsored Glo Premier League side, Lobi Stars.
League action will be delayed as Lobi Stars’ opponents on match day two, Enyimba will be busy with a Caf Champions League assignment against Smouha Sporting Club.
As a result, Sharks will be the first team to visit the renovated edifice on match day four, in April.
Since Enyimba are unavailable for the match day two clash, Lobi Stars and Nigeria’s Under-23 team will play a friendly match to re-open the stadium.
It is the first time the national team will play in Makurdi.
Soul of Benue football
Indeed, the Aper Aku Stadium represents the soul of football in Benue State.
Top stars like present club vice-chairman and former Nigerian international, Dominic Iorfa, present club general manager and former Nigerian international, Barnabas Imenger, goalkeeper trainer, Sam Addingi and former Nigerian international, Bartholomew Ogbeche amongst others played at the stadium.
For upcoming footballers in the state, a chance to play at the Aper Aku stadium represents the zenith of football accomplishment.
And for newly-signed Lobi Stars striker, Obioma Arinze, this is a dream come true.
“I’m a Makurdi boy and I still have memories of the big stars coming to play at the stadium. I spent my childhood days within the stadium because my mother owned a shop inside the complex.
“In fact, I saw the victorious 2003 Coca-Cola FA Cup squad celebrate their success after returning from Kaduna,” he said to supersport.com.
History
Construction of the stadium was initiated by Second Republic Governor of Benue State, Aper Aku.
Back in 2008, the edifice was selected to host the final of the prestigious Coca-Cola FA Cup (now Federation Cup).
Ironically, the 2008 final turned out to be the last edition sponsored by the beverage company as it decided to end its sponsorship, which started in 1999.
From 2009, the competition was renamed Federation Cup.
Both combatants on the final day (Gombe United and Ocean Boys) were managed by two indigenes of the state, Justin Tenger and Evans Ogenyi.
Ogenyi eventually triumphed over Tenger via penalties on match day to become the first Benue State coach to win the Cup on home ground.
Renovation of the stadium meant Lobi had to seek fortunes elsewhere.
After moving from Jalingo to Abuja, Bauchi and later Katsina-Ala, credit should go to the administration of His Excellency, Governor Gabriel Suswam, for renovating the stadium and returning “The Pride of Benue” to their fortress in Makurdi.
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