By Yomi Opakunle
Enigmatic Hon. Kunle Soname and his Remo Stars FC (a privately owned football club), most recently made history in winning the 2024/25 season’s Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) Cup.
It is the 1st club from Ogun State to win Nigeria’s Premier League, since creation of the State and in so doing lifting the erstwhile sleepy town of Ikenne from where referred late sage Chief Obafemi Awolowo SAN hailed from just like himself, to global recognition for the greatest sport on earth – football – Ikenne gone global, if you ask me. Yes o, the euphoria of this victory has been deservedly very loud. But beyond the victory are several lessons of visionary sure-footedness by Soname, worth scrutinizing and emulating, for replication nationwide.
Little by little, said a thoughtful lad; Moment by moment, I shall improve…’ (Source: Anonymous)
The real deal are the various lessons of success nuggets practically demonstrated by my dear brother – Hon. Kunle Soname the proprietor in this ‘long’ journey to well-earned victory…
Remo Stars did not suddenly or accidentally become NPFL Champions. The club was 3rd 3 seasons ago and 2nd 2 seasons ago as well as 2nd last season! – lessons of painstaking hard work + focus on Club’s vision as consciously envisioned by Hon. Soname.
Same Remo Stars, since establishment, had achieved promotion to the NPFL more than twice and relegated to the lower league twice, only to bounce back to NPFL diadem eventually! – lessons of never say die spirit & eyes on the ball no matter how long i.e. *’Never admit failure, until you’ve made your last attempt; but Never your last attempt, until you’ve succeeded.’ So, keep on trying to try….*
Club started by hiring infrastructures at home in Ogun State, but now owns massive global standard infrastructures in the State! Lessons of ‘from little seeds grow big Oak trees’ & little beginnings should never be a barrier to great achievements.
1 Club at start, 3 clubs now (Remo Stars Ladies inclusive)! Lessons in incremental growth, & prudent reinvestment strategy laced with focused patience.
‘Unsung/unassuming’ hardworking focused Chief Coach handling club for some years now – Ogumodede, deservedly getting national recognition via appointment as one of the Assistant Coaches of our premium national team, the Super Eagles. Nor be mistake o! Lessons of faith/believe of Hon. Soname in the talents/abilities/potentials of his coach, trusting that giving him time would lead to a glorious tomorrow that has become today.
Soname had watched from close quarters, the potentials in Ogunmodede as Assistant Coach to a couple of past Chief Coaches of the team and decidedly gave him the opportunity to be in full charge as the Chief Coach about 5 years ago. See what his unshaken faith in the talents of the young man has crystallized to…
Unshaken believe in the youth!
Just check the average age of his players – he even has an Academy (Beyond Limits) that is doing well in the immediate lower Nigeria Pro League and deliberately structured serve as Feeder team to Remo Stars – intentionality & deliberateness
Sustainability/Financial capability!
Unlike many previous privately owned clubs which get financially challenged as time gets by, Proprietor who deliberately rather than luckily owns Bet Naija, must have dedicated a reasonable percentage of ROI from Bet9ja/proceeds from some player transfers/other businesses (including a Portuguese 2nd division team he is the majority owner of) to the pursuit of his well thought out sports business vision, not expecting immediate returns but assured of a certain successful tomorrow that has come to fore.
Lessons: Financial intelligence + continuous search for knowledge/self development, with a team of workforce he invests in their development and gives opportunity to flourish, if they could.
Street Wise Soname!
Unknown to many, this son of the famous Multimillionaire Remo Carpet owner of yore – yes, same Chief Soname whom Ebenezer Obey sang about, chose to discount all that glamour, to go become streetwise early in life and was even a 2-time Executive Chairman of Ikosi-Isheri LCDA (very grassroot of public service governance), becoming a huge success. Believe me, he was even ready to integrate this his ‘now coming to fruition’ vision, into his home State vision to impact more people statewide (provided a PPP model allowing the vision to blossom was agreeable to the government) back then. He was even ready to accept the Vice Chairmanship of State owned Gateway FC back in time in 2011 to jumpstart the dream, but in the wisdom of the then Governor, there would be conflict of interest he noted and so didn’t approve. I know, because I was SA at the Ministry of Youth & Sports back then and was involved.
By then, now blossoming Bet Naija hadn’t even come to the public scene for him, but he thrugged on surefooted with great determination and today, the rest is history. Lessons: Nigeria is full of God’s special blessings and once we continue to seek for His special grace and painstakingly remain focused, hardworking but patiently wait for His blessings, our dreams can come true..
Conclusively, this is to salute/celebrate Hon. Kunle Soname my dear brother and President of Remo Stars Group, who is a whole lesson in successful ‘sports-preneurship’, for this hugely and fittingly deserving achievement, divinely thrust on him on his 59th birthday.
Congratulations to Soname (+ his entire group) and toast-toast.
Yomi Opakunle, a veteran sports journalist, writes in from Ifako-Gbagada Lagos.
