Austin Tyowua, Who Are The Attackers Of Lobi Stars?

The recent briefing of sports journalists in Makurdi by the Chairman, Lobi Stars Football Club, Dr. Philip Nongu clarified that a combined force pushed the number one soccer team of Makurdi into relegation! 

Nongu (Ph.D) did not disclose the identities of the individuals who did the overkill, but the aspect of his silence indicated also that he wasn't in hurry to unmask the saboteurs who created the moment of worry for the lovers of Lobi Stars.

Describing their acts as "deliberate sabotage" Nongu noted that those unpleasant contributions churned out bad results for the matches played and the misinformation fueled toxic campaign that weakened also players morale as well as promoted the negative public opinion against his leadership of the club!

According to him as leader, he accepted responsibility for the poor performance but assured of his management's resolve to work harder and return Lobi to the place of reckoning. Lamentations by Chairman of the club about betrayals in the season under review justifies analysis for clearer public understanding of the issues.

For instance, it was not first time for Lobi Stars to have appeared on the knife's edge of Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL). Relegation threat to the club in the 2024/2025 season was similar to the previous league season. The near bizarre 2022/2023 testified about the threat of relegation for Lobi Stars which stood on position nineteen (19) out of the twenty two (22) teams that participated in the league.

While Lobi survived the past circumstance, the concerted efforts to ensure her survival called for cooperation and genuine lovers of the club added value by lowering the hurdles that made difficult for the team to flyover and survive. Lovers of the club included this reporter who worked hard against the relegation. 

At the media briefing by the former Governor, Samuel Ortom, this reporter persuaded the then Governor to replace his in-law, Emmanuel Aondofa Tama very swiftly with a more capable hand to save Lobi Stars from the distressful position.

The sack was swift and the club's Vice Chairman whom Austin Tyowua worked with, supported and defended needlessly to take Lobi into oblivion left the scene and the new management emerged to give fresh air to the distressed team.

The problem with the seemingly unprofessional or probably quack journalist, Austin Tyowua who paraded as media officer for the club was and remains strange is his description of the Dominic Iorfa led management as "atrocious" even as the said management rescued Lobi from the relegation. His Facebook page, April 21st, 2025 clarifies this particular point.

Tyowua continued "the current Chairman of the club, Dr. Philip Nongu and the Chairman of the Benue State Football Association, Barrister Paul Edeh, the man with cupboard love for football were the major stumbling blocks." His comments on these people appear 'preposterous' because while Iorfa saved the club, the others worked hard to prevent relegation but the untrained journalist accused of fueling destruction of the efforts with his toxic write ups appear not bothered as imagined by Dr. Nongu 

Another report authored by Austin Tyowua on April 2nd, 2025 in the same medium read in part "...I can boldly affirm that there is no miracle that will save the club from relegation. Anyone claiming he can achieve that is saying so out of selfish interest or desperation for money that the juicy position can offer." One of his most seemingly ignorant comments is that of March 8th, 2025 and read "if I were Philip Nongu, there's nothing attractive in Lobi job again, even if the Gov refused to sack me, I will leave the job." How justifiable and sane Austin Tyowua can be by saying "...there is nothing attractive in Lobi job again" Dr. Nongu should resign but at the same time accuse the Lobi Stars Chairman of alleged "selfish interest or desperation for money that the juicy position can offer?" 

As one meditates on sanity of his postulations, the problem I have for this particular line of thought by Austin Tyowua is the room it creates for the suspicion that the Tama led management of Lobi Stars may have exploited the weak media knowledge in the said quack and drained Lobi Stars FC of resources the suspected counterfeit journalist wholly acknowledged on March 8th, 2025! 

It does not surprise that this reporter became the victim of attack by Mr. Tyowua under Aondofa Tama. The clearly trained football coach but probably not in journalism believes perhaps that media profession is only about anyone who can write good grammar, hit me hard when he held sway for Lobi as its media officer.

Prior to the briefing by the then Governor Ortom, I as former Secretary of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) expressed displeasure publicly on the manner Lobi was going and the self made media guy swooped on me like the kite on the chick! He did not succeed as the pressure on Ortom paid off with the sack of Tama! 

But the question who are the attackers of Lobi Stars may have been answered by Tyowua'sv write ups on every management that emerged after his sack from from the club. The concerned Nigerian citizen and discerning member of the public. Maurice Tsav tended to have answered with advice to Austin Tyowua "if I were you, I shouldn't be commenting on Lobi Stars again. You misled everyone to buying into your antics and the result is what we have at hands today concerning Lobi Stars. I hope you are not dreaming that the government will one day hands over the club to you. You are simply a bad belle person. Why is it so very difficult for you to forget Dominic Iorfa and move on with your life? If you feel, you matter so much to the Governor on Lobi Stars issue, why is he not consulting you before taking subsequent decisions? I ask so because, apart from Iorfa's sack, which you claimed you influenced, you have never been comfortable with all the appointments that followed. You are just a busy body or ne." 

The ensuing scenario tend to expose Austin Tyowua's seeming ignorance, perhaps shrouded in acts of intellectual nudity he needs not promote further!