In a historic moment at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne, Coach Daniel Ogunmodede stood proudly at the centre of Nigerian football glory.
On Sunday, May 11, under the gaze of football dignitaries and an electrified home crowd, Ogunmodede led Remo Stars to their first-ever Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) title — and did it in a style befitting champions.
Though the title was mathematically sealed on April 25 after Rivers United stumbled 2-0 against Kano Pillars, the celebration was held back for the homecoming spectacle against Ikorodu City.
In the history making evening, with Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun, Nigeria Football League (NPFL) President Ibrahim Musa Gusau, and club founder Kunle Soname in attendance, the Sky Blue Stars dazzled their fans with a spirited 4-1 comeback victory.
It was a culmination of grit, resilience, and a vision realized ahead of schedule.
“We are the consequence of hard work”
With medals glinting and chants echoing, Daniel Ogunmodede’s emotion-filled post-match reflection revealed the human side of the journey.
“This means so much to me. I am so elated. The saying that hard work pays, we are the consequence of it and I am happy it happens,” Ogunmodede told Naija News, visibly overwhelmed as he romanced the winners’ medal on his neck intermittently. “We have been there for years. We persevere, we work hard. It looked like it is impossible, but we never gave up.”
After back-to-back second-place finishes, many had started to see Remo Stars as perennial runners-up. But Ogunmodede, who returned to Nigeria after coaching experience in Portugal, wasn’t just building a team — he was forging a culture.
“In the last 150 games, we have not lost on the ground. We know it is one of the key points. If we actually want to win the league, we must not lose here,” he emphasized. “At a point we thought it was over. We had some scary moments on this pitch where we were trailing 2-0, we came back. At that point I knew we are ready.”
A five-year plan conquered in two
Remo Stars’ success wasn’t overnight — but it was quicker than expected.
“The target I set for myself is about five years,” Ogunmodede said. “I knew I would need to build a team when I came back to the country. I need to build a team, I need to build myself, and I need to understand the behavioural pattern of the league.”
That understanding — fusing European tactical insights with local intuition — bore fruit faster than even he imagined.
The coach said, “I was looking at five years and I got it in two years, which is a good one for me and I am happy to have that. I got a lot of experience in Portugal, European football, I tried to bring some of them here. Some worked, some did not work. Most importantly, my philosophy worked, our culture stand.”
The toughest test wasn’t who many thought
Despite a season stacked with battles, Ogunmodede pointed to a surprising challenge: Ikorodu City.
“Ikorodu City was our toughest opponent this season and I will tell you why. Every team that they played was our next opponent,” he told Naija News. “They would have gone there, beat the team, or cause a very scary moment, where they won’t want to lose to any team coming again. So, it has been a big pressure on us. But we scale through and today we are happy that we won.”
That psychological toll made their final triumph against the same side all the more thrilling for both the players and the home fans.
Daniel Ogunmodede got his Eyes on the continent
As champagne corks popped and the celebrations roared, Daniel Ogunmodede’s thoughts were already leaning into the future — and the challenge of continental football.
“For sure we have our culture, we have our behavioural pattern, we have our framework that we work with. I can tell you that nothing will change about it. We will remain Remo Stars,” he said confidently.
Even in the face of inevitable player turnover, Ogunmodede is focused on continuity.
“We signed about eight players in the mid-season, and only one played. The rest could not play. They were busy studying how we play, our body language, and what we need. Now that they understand it, you want me to drop them? It is impossible,” he asserted.
“The most important thing is that, [our outing on the continent] next season will be better than this season.”
A New Star Ascends
Remo Stars Coach Daniel Ogunmodede presenting a frame to the club’s chairman, Kunle Soname to celebrate the latter’s birthday.
Remo Stars’ meteoric rise under Ogunmodede isn’t just a football story — it’s a lesson in vision, patience, and staying true to a dream.
With one more match to play and the title already in hand, they’ve written history. And if Ogunmodede’s passion and philosophy hold, this might just be the beginning of a Nigerian football dynasty.
One thing is clear: Daniel Ogunmodede didn’t just conquer the NPFL — he conquered it in record time.
