Third time’s the charm was the testimony of Remo Stars as they clinched their maiden Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) title after a 1-0 victory over Niger Tornadoes at the Remo Stars Stadium on Sunday, April 27, 2025.

Daniel Ogunmodede’s side claimed the title following consecutive second-place finishes in the 2022/23 and 2023/24 football seasons. The title confirmation came on the 59th birthday of their owner, Kunle Soname – Poetic.

Knocking on the Door of History.

Their first knock on the title door was in the 2022/23 season, where they finished behind Enyimba International at the Super 6 which was held in Lagos, losing the league title by a goal difference of one. The second knock was a feisty title chase against Rangers International, and the Sky Blue Stars lost the fight by five points.

Going into the 2025 season, the expectations and stakes were higher, and Remo Stars lived up to them, clinching the title with three games to spare, brushing off chasers Rivers United by ten points as of Matchday 35.

Despite losing to Rivers United 1-0 at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, in what looked to be the ‘decider,’ Remo’s season-long form and big away results against rivals like Shooting Stars, Kwara United and the point picked away to Lobi Stars, held firm their position as frontrunners.

A Blast to the Past.

Founded in 2004 as FC Dender in Lagos, Remo Stars began as a grassroots initiative by Kunle Soname to empower Ketu’s youth through football. By 2010, FC Dender gained promotion to the Nigeria National League (NNL), playing their home games at the Agege Stadium. In 2011, the club relocated to Ikenne, Ogun State, rebranding as Remo Stars to reflect its new identity as the shining light of Remo Land which is the home of their founder, Kunle Soname.

Remo Stars’ early years were defined by grit. Under coach Osho Fatai, whose “Sugar Concept” style mirrored FC Barcelona, the club gained prominence, notably upsetting Enyimba International in the 2013 FA Cup. In 2014, they knocked out the defending champions again via penalties. After six NNL seasons, Remo Stars secured their first NPFL promotion in 2016 under Nduka Ugbade, assisted by Uche Okagbue and Daniel Ogunmodede, only to face relegation in their debut top-flight season. Promotion followed in 2018, but relegation struck again in 2019.

Undeterred, Remo Stars built a robust youth academy in 2016, led by Daniel Ogunmodede, producing talents who now shine in Europe. Their third NPFL promotion in 2021 marked a turning point. Learning from past setbacks, they finished third in 2022, then secured consecutive second-place finishes in 2022/23 and 2023/24, narrowly missing the title to Enyimba and Rangers International.

Back to the Present .

Speaking to Remo Stars Media, Coach Daniel Ogunmodede shared his thoughts on becoming the champion of the 2024-2025 NPFL season:

“It’s a very important moment for me. A very important moment. I arrived at this club in 2015. It’s my 10th year now. I spent six years as assistant and director for youth football and four years as the head coach of the team. I became second, second, and now champion. I’m so elated.

And most importantly, on the birthday of our influencer, the president of the club, it’s a big motivation for me. I’m happy that he’s happy today. The guys are happy. He’s happy too. I’m happy that he’s happy to see his investment work. His patience over the years with me and the technical aspects. I’m so elated; even though the game is [over], I just want to enjoy being the champion now.
Anywhere in the world, the league is always tough.”

Pressing Pause on the Future.

When asked about the future, Coach Ogunmodede chose to stay in the present and relish the moment:

“I would like to talk about now. Let me just enjoy this moment first. Maybe in the next few weeks, we’ll be talking about what the next step is. But trust me, we always want to be one step ahead of where we are. I’ve always been saying this. We can’t let our guard down. As a club, with the structure we have tried to lay, it’s going to be forever. It’s going to outlive us. So we’ll always be one step ahead of where we are.”

Having achieved this remarkable feat, Remo Stars will aim to represent Nigeria strongly on the continental stage once again, this time participating in the CAF Champions League.

Remo Stars’ Performance in CAF competitions.

2023-24 CAF Champions League qualifying rounds – First Round defeat to Medeama Sporting Club, 1–1 on aggregate and 3–2 on penalties. (1–0, first leg/ 0–1, second leg.)

2022-23 CAF Confederation Cup qualifying rounds – First Round 2–1 defeat on aggregate to ASFAR of Morocco. (1–1, first leg/ 1–0, second leg.)

Remo Stars are the first privately owned team since Udoji United in 1996 to win the NPFL title and also the first Southwest club since 1991 when Julius Berger won it.