The unfortunate extinction of Lagos-based MFM FC from Nigerian league

Posted : 01 June 2023

Before MFM FC came around in the topflight football, the cosmopolitan city of Lagos shamefully could not boast of any professional league clubside since the demise of Berger FC, a team that once ruled the Nigeria Professional Football League in the 90's and of course the foremost traditional clubside of Lagos, Stationary Stores, a team most of Lagos fans can die for.

Stationary Stores founded in 1958 by famous Lagos businessman, Israel Adebajo rode in the crest of power in the 70's through the 90's is one of the most fearsome clubsides in Nigeria.

The "Flaming Flamingoes" as they were nicknamed rode the waves from the late 1960s, while they are categorised in the same league as other traditional clubs like Enugu Rangers, Bendel Insurance, and IICC Shooting Stars.

Back then, Stationary Stores playing at their fortress Onikan Stadium; they were able to add lots of laurels to their shelf including the Challenge Cup (now Federation Cup) four times in 1967, 1968, 1982 and 1990. Its last hurray was in winning the league in 1992, just before all the problems that led to the eventual demise of the club started cropping up.

No sooner the proprietor of the club, Pa Adebanjo died, family bickering started over who would take charge of the club and this ensured that one of Nigeria’s most traditional sides went completely out of existence.

Long gone in about 18 years in doldrums of no show in the Premier League, MFM FC showed up with a promise to return sparks to the league, particularly for Lagos fans, who had enjoyed many interesting matches in the NPFL.

Howbeit, it is such a cheery news for die-hard Lagos fans that MFM FC will be playing the premier league matches in Lagos. This came as Stationery Stores’ old faithfuls know that the club is almost non-existent, then a quick shift to the new bride, MFM FC.

The club was wholly owned by Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries, a Pentecostal Christian Organization.

The emergence of MFM FC is almost a surefire bet to rekindle some fond memories of top-class football rivalries in Lagos.

For instance, the last days of Stationary Stores games witnessed perhaps the largest turnout of fans in Onikan Stadium.

MFM made their debut in the Nigeria Professional Football League in 2016, but narrowly escaped relegation thereafter.

Just in one season in the top flight football, MFM FC's foray in the Premier league, a clubside managed and maintained by a Church ministry based in Yaba flourished like a new rose with applause from football stakeholders almost making Lagos fans to forget their woes of Premier league years of blackouts.

Many fans from Lagos and adjourning towns in thier thousands would troop down to Agege Stadium, the fortress and home of the "Olukoya Boys" as they were nicknamed to watch them play.

The Church Boys wouldn't dissapoint as they proved overtime that they mean business in the league and will always prove to worth the time of the fans who sacrificed their time with unforgettable football artistry.

MFM FC was able to produce notable players including an outstanding player, Sikiru Olatunbosun who hit the world of football with a spectacular goal in one of the league matches that earned him "CNN Goal of the Week" winner, as he got 260 out of 428 votes.

MFM FC forward Sikiru Olatunbosun also emerged as the winner of the Nigeria Professional Football League VAT Wonder Goal award for matchday 18.

Olatunbosun's goal came in MFM’s 1-1 home draw against Rivers United at the Agege Stadium, the goal saw the talented forward unleash a right-foot grounder from the edge of the 18-yard box that beat veteran goalkeeper, Rotimi Sunday after receiving a pass from Chukwuka Onuwa.

During their heydays, MFM players were well respected while the club administration ensured that the salaries, welfare and entitlements of players and officials were paid promptly.

MFM FC qualified to play at the continental level in 2018 after they finished second in the 2017/2018 NPFL season, but were bundled out due to inexperience and lack of technical depth.

MFM FC in 2018 crashed out of the CAF Confederation Cup in spite of putting up a stout display against Djoliba AC of Bamako and registering a barren draw away from home, however, the 0-1 home defeat in the first leg sent them packing from the competition.

The "Olukoya Boys" have themselves to blame for the ill luck having capitulated in the first leg; losing 1-0 at the Agege Stadium.

The sad development of missing out in the continental football by MFM FC, however, brought the euphoria of continental football returning to Lagos to a short-lived experience; while many trusted that they would have learnt some lessons in thier maiden campaign and see a need to step up in technicality, they thereafter failed to have another shot at continental football, sadly enough as the team went deeper into crisis.

Several clubs such as MFM FC have seen their fortunes plummet over the intervening years, but the structure at which the "Olukoya Boys" started with confused many to be a club that would last longer.

In the 2020 and 2021 seasons, MFM FC started exhibiting traces of problems as the team finished 14th and 10th respectively.

However, after six years of top flight football, MFM was relegated from the NPFL in 2022 and was to begin a new life in the NNL alongside Kano Pillars, Katsina United and Heartland FC.

As a topflight clubside now marooned in the lower division of Nigerian league, MFM FC management could not stay afloat as they later did away with the club by disbanding it in 2022.

The unfortunate extinction of MFM FC is a sad tale and a bitter pill to swallow for Lagos fans as they wondered how their hope of continuity in topflight football will be suddenly quenched.

The demise of MFM FC brought the number of clubsides that have made waves in Lagos to four, following the footsteps of NEPA FC, Julius Berger FC, Stationary Stores FC and Ikorodu United FC.

The unfortunate extinction of Lagos-based MFM FC from Nigerian league

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