Date: 2017-09-27

Kwara United chairman Prince Oladimeji Thompson has told SCORENIGERIA that his team will hold their own in the NPFL come the new season after they won promotion from the NNL Northern Conference in fine style. This is the second time the successful businessman will lift 'The Afonja Warriors' to the top league and he has acknowledged the financial and personal support of the executive governor of Kwara State, Abdulfatah Ahmed.

The full interview:

SCORENIGERIA: Good day sir. OLADIMEJI THOMPSON: Good day. Congratulations chairman - with several rounds of matches to spare, you have again plotted the return of Kwara United to the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL). How did you do this?

Well, it is the favour God and most importantly I want to tell you that my Governor, His Excellency Abdulfatah Ahmed, did everything possible to support us, he gave us the enabling environment, that is exactly what happened and at the same time I got a lot of support from the stake holders, the supporters, everybody worked collectively to achieve this success. It was not just me who made this possible.

It appears you have the magic wand of getting teams promoted to the top league as you also did this in 2008 with the same coach, John Obuh.

Success is given to one by God, it was God that did it. You will discover that the last time I did it, I invited John Obuh and this time around I believe he could also do it with me because we had a good working relationship then, that was why I invited him again and this time around the players were focused and very disciplined as we also did not toy with their wellbeing.

There were some challenges and when we had issues, I will go to them and they have taken me like their father and they would listen to me. I thank them and the coaches for their great support.

It was not magic, it was just because they supported me wholeheartedly and because my God has decided that he will always allow me to be at the top.

Kwara United chairman Oladimeji Thompson is back again with his team to the top flight

This past season in the NPFL, three of the teams who won promotion the previous term were relegated. Will that also be the case with Kwara United after one season in the top flight?

I am not new in the game. When in 2008 I took them to the premier league, I was in the premier league for two years before I left and after I left so many things happened.

When I was there I made sure that I played throughout the term in the Nigeria Premier league then and I still have that experience, it is still with me and I know what to do. It is just about the players and the technical crew.

Your last game of the NNL season at home against FC Taraba last Sunday was postponed at very short notice.

It was not really a good development because we had prepared our mind that we were rounding up last Sunday and put in mind that the LMC have announced their resumption time for November and if the closing date of the NNL is being changed definitely it will affect us because we are just going in and we still need to beef up the team, all these we have to do so it is really a challenge.

But I will not blame the board of the NNL because they have financial challenges concerning the referees' indemnities, but we are on top of the situation and today we will carry the day.

Who do you dedicate Kwara United promotion to the NPFL?

I wish to dedicate it to God and the Executive Governor of Kwara State, His Excellency Abdulfatah Ahmed.