Nasarawa United striker, Anas Yusuf will not attend the 2025 Eunisell Golden Boot Award ceremony scheduled for Friday (today) in Lagos following a face-off between the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) and the award organisers.
The league’s governing body has accused the organisers of the Eunisell Boot of using the NPFL’s name and brand without approval.
Yusuf, who emerged as the NPFL’s top scorer for the 2024/25 season with 18 goals, was due to receive a N3.6 million cash prize — calculated at N200,000 per goal — as part of the award, which recognises the league’s highest goalscorer. However, a source at Nasarawa United confirmed the striker would not grace the event in compliance with the NPFL’s directive.
In a letter to the organisers, NPFL Chairman Gbenga Elegbeleye described the award as “an illegal use” of the league’s identity, stating that the organisers neither have a partnership with nor sought approval from the NPFL board.
“This notice serves as a warning to desist, or we will have no option but to write to the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, a development that will bring your company to disrepute,” Elegbeleye stated. “You are invited to seize this opportunity to commence discussion to remedy the abnormality.”
Despite the controversy, organisers of the Eunisell Boot remain defiant and expressed disappointment over the disruption. Ojeikere Aikhoje, who leads the Eunisell initiative and also coordinates the League Bloggers Award, highlighted the brand’s longstanding support for Nigerian football.
“Eunisell Boot started in 2018. This is the seventh edition. For over a decade, Eunisell has remained the only brand consistently backing the NPFL,” Aikhoje said. “Now in 2025, the same award is suddenly called ‘illegal’? How can serious brands take the NPFL seriously with this attitude?”
The NPFL’s stance has sparked criticism from stakeholders in the football community. Commentator Ralph George said the award should be encouraged, not vilified. “This is definitely not the way to go. We need companies like Eunisell to promote the league by encouraging goal scorers.”
Sports journalist Rasaq Oboirien added, “Those running the NPFL clearly lack the right approach. Who calls an ISO-certified company unscrupulous? This is not how to grow the league.”
The fate of this year’s ceremony remains unclear amid the growing dispute, casting doubt on whether Yusuf will receive his well-earned reward.
