Imama Amapakabo has made a return to his former club, Abia Warriors, as head coach. The seasoned coach, 54, signed a two-year contract with an option to extend for an additional year. Amapakabo previously coached Abia Warriors for two seasons before departing two years ago.
Amapakabo’s return comes after a stint with Rwandan side Etoile de l’Est, where he faced the challenge of relegation on the final day of the season. Before that, he had a successful tenure with Rangers International
Abia Warriors, based in Umuahia, recently faced a tough defeat in the President Federation Cup final against El-Kanemi Warriors. The club finished twelfth in the league standings at the end of the 2023/2024 season, missing out on a chance to play on the continent for the first time in their history.
The club announced Amapakabo’s return on social media, expressing excitement and optimism about his appointment:
“We are excited to welcome back Imama Amapakabo on a two-year deal as the new coach 🤩 Show the Gaffer some love and get ready for an amazing journey together again 💪 🔥 #WelcomeBackImama #Warriors 🔴”
— Abia Warriors FC (@AbiaWarriors) July 10, 2024
In an interview with Magic FM, monitored in Port Harcourt, Amapakabo expressed his excitement about working with the current management of Abia Warriors:
“I am thankful that I have people like Chief John Obuh (club chairman) and Emeka Ifejiagwa that understand what football is all about. It’s a comfortable contract for all of us, and we resolve to work together for it to move Abia Warriors forward.”
One of Amapakabo’s immediate challenges will be convincing key players to renew their contracts, as many of them have offers from other clubs both domestically and internationally. Retaining these players will be crucial for Abia Warriors as they aim to improve their league performance and achieve better results in future competitions.
