Dakkada FC sends soothing message to supporters after NPFL relegation

Dakkada FC of Uyo has published a “club statement” with soothing messages for supporters and sponsors following its relegation from the NPFL.

After four years in the Nigerian top-flight, Dakkada FC will go back to the second tier for the 2023/2024 season after falling short in the abridged 2022/2023 NPFL Season.

Recall that Dakkada FC, then known as Akwa Starlets FC earned promotion to the NPFL after a Nigeria National League title winning 2018/2019 season.

Famed for discovering and developing some of the finest legs currently plying their trade in top clubs within and outside the country, Dakkada FC was a veritable platform for development of talents.

In a release published on the teams social media handles on Monday May 22, 2023, the Uyo based club admitted its relegation was regrettable but have decided to ” refrain from wallowing in our ( Dakkada FC ) disappointments for too long but imminently begin the rebuilding process. ”

The Club statement is presented unedited below.

DAKKADA FOOTBALL CLUB
(12 Afaha Road, Uyo, Akwa Ibom state)

A DAKKADA FOOTBALL CLUB STATEMENT
2022/2023 has been a sad domestic football season for the players, coaches, ad hoc and management members of staff and indeed everyone associated with Dakkada Football Club.

It is regrettable that after four unbroken years in the top flight, our best efforts throughout the season fell short of the minimum requirement to stay in a very competitive Nigeria Premier Football League whose abridged format, adopted for the season, caused it to be even more competitive by dwarfing the margin of error.

Although relegation is as integral a part of any football league as promotion, but it is rather unfortunate that we had to be caught up in its web especially because ours has been a veritable platform for the discovery and nurturing of talented footballers from the hinterlands and the subsequent putting of the nurtured talents in our country’s footballing limelight.

As we reflect on the lessons that have been painfully learnt from this season, we must refrain from wallowing in our disappointments for too long but imminently begin the rebuilding process towards leading our prestigious club – the 2018/2019 NNL Champions and five-time state FA Cup Champions – back to the elite division of Nigerian football where they belong.

We are immensely thankful to His Excellency, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, the Governor of Akwa Ibom state, for the love he has demonstrated towards us all these years by catering to all we have ever needed.

We are grateful to our pillar of support and Akwa Ibom state Honourable Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Sir Monday Uko, whose unwavering passion for success has driven us thus far.

We thank the Senior Special Assistant to Akwa Ibom state Governor on sports, Elder Paul Bassey, as well as all football stakeholders and institutions from within and outside Akwa Ibom state including the Nigeria Football Federation, Akwa Ibom state Football Association, Akwa Ibom state Ministry of Youth and Sports, the League Management Company and Interim Management Committee, the media, who has been very friendly and fair to us, among others.

Finally, to the truest reason that has enabled us stay afloat thus far – our supporters – we cannot thank you enough for the fantastic support you have given us all these years. Your material support and commitment to our club is an inspiration and the very foundation that we hope to leverage in our quest to gain an instantaneous return to the NPFL.

We would like to assure you all that the last has not been heard of Dakkada Football Club. We are the Chosen Ones and it is for challenging times like this that we were so chosen, according to 1 Corinthians 1:27.
Let’s do it again together. Thank you and God bless you all.

With love from:
All of us at Dakkada Football Club
May 22, 2023.