By: Chuks Ogbu

In 2013 when the  Nigerian National League(NNL) play-offs came to an end, Abia Warriors Football Club of Umuahia who finished second behind the winners GIWA FC of Jos  booked their place to the 2014 season of the Nigerian top flight  then known as the Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL).

The promotion of the Umuahia based side stirred lots of joy and happiness for the average Nigerian league fan in Abia State, if not for anything the pride of having two top-flight teams and the prospect of having an Abia derby in the top-flight.

But a lot were quiet skeptical about the derby because of the obvious gulf in class, pedigree and exposure that exists between the two sides. But when the two sides met for the very first time in the top-flight back in March 2014 the whole event went a bit "out of script".

Abia Warriors through a Cletus Itodo's first half effort from 27 yards condemned Enyimba to a first league home defeat in more than five years and thus gave Abia Warriors the victory and the first bragging rights in the derby, from that moment one the whole Nigerian football fraternity took notice of the birth of a new and feisty derby.

This derby has seen 15 matches previously   with Enyimba FC enjoying the larger share of the victories 9 while Abia Warriors have only won  3 times and three games ended in draws, with Enyimba FC previously scoring 22 goals while Abia Warriors have been able to score 13 times.

This derby has over the years produced some interesting matches and memorable goals, from  Cletus Itodo's 27 yard effort for Abia warriors in their famous 1-0 victory over Enyimba in Aba back in 2014 to the two spectacular goals in the return fixture in Umuahia – a thirty yard strike from Enyimba’s Rasheed Olabiyi and a spectacular Chisom Chikatara equaliser in an entertaining and unforgettable 3-3 draw in Umuahia.
Also in 2016, Dare Ojo scored a brilliant goal for Enyimba in a 1-0 home victory in Port Harcourt.

Some of the most memorable matches include, that Warriors 1-0 victory in Aba and it's reverse fixture that produced a 3-3 draw, the 2015 2-2 draw in Aba,  Warriors 2016 3-1 victory in Umuahia and Enyimba's 4-1 victory away to Warriors in Okigwe which happens to be the biggest margin of victory the derby has ever produced.

 

With three goals each Ndifreke Effiong formerly of Abia Warriors and Stanley Dimgba formerly of Enyimba FC are the top scorers of the derby.

As feisty as this derby has been, it is still one of the most discipline ones as  not a single red card has ever been previously witnessed in it.
 

As the two teams gets ready to slug it out on Sunday the 10th of December for the 16th time in the league, one thing the fans and spectators should expect is the very best of exciting football.