Magnus Aluma
In a bid to strengthen the technical crew of the Abakaliki Football Club in Ebonyi State ahead of the new football season, the management of the club has appointed two new assistant coaches and a trainer.
The newly appointed assistant coaches are Jude Agada from Anambra State and Idowu Anthony Paul from Lagos State.
Agada is a former player of Rangers International FC.
He also played for Udoji United FC and the Super Eagles of Nigeria between 1987 and 1990.
He previously served as coach for River Lane Academy FC, SKB FC and Coal City FC, while Idowu played for NEPA FC Lagos, Julius Berger FC Lagos and Ray Queens FC. He is also a former FA Cup Best Foreign Coach.
The immediate past captain of Abakaliki FC, Cyril Timothy has also been appointed as the club’s trainer.
Timothy hails from Abia State and played for Simba FC of Tanzania, Adamawa United FC, among other club sides.
Reports said the official unveiling ceremony of the three technical crew members, which held in Abakaliki on Monday followed the directive of the Governor of Ebonyi State, Francis Nwifuru.
Governor Nwifuru had, during an interaction with representatives of the club in December 2025, identified a gap in the technical crew, following the suspension of former Head Coach, Ifeanyi Onyedika.
The Governor had earlier directed the then Assistant Coach, Mr. Anistar Starplus, to assume the position of Head Coach and appoint experienced assistants to support the team.
Unveiling the new technical crew members, the Chairman of Abakaliki FC, Senator Obinna Ogba, welcomed the newly appointed officials and urged them to work harmoniously with the Head Coach to achieve the club’s ambition of securing promotion to the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) this season.
“I assure the team of the continued commitment of Ebonyi State Government, under the leadership of Governor Nwifuru, to the welfare of the players and the technical crew,” he said.
In his remarks, Head Coach Anistar Starplus expressed appreciation to the management of the club for giving him the opportunity to strengthen the technical crew.
He described the newly appointed officials as experienced professionals, and pledged to work closely with them to ensure the club gains promotion to the NPFL at the end of the season.
In their responses, the newly appointed officials thanked the management of Abakaliki FC for the confidence reposed in them.
They pledged to work with the head coach as a team, adding that they were prepared to take the club to the Nigeria Premier Football League next season.
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