When thousands of excited Arsenal fans painted Makurdi red after historic EPL title win

By Johnson Arua

Thousands of jubilant Arsenal supporters in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, erupted in celebration following the club’s major trophy victory, ending over two decades of waiting for silverware.

The fans who walked from the Makurdi Underpass to an Event Centre on Old Otukpo Road in a carnival-like parade singing and dancing, had people from all works of life on the train.

The atmosphere at the celebration venue was electric as fans dressed in Arsenal jerseys sang, danced and waved club flags in what many described as an emotional moment after 22 years without the major title.

There was enough to eat and drink for fans and their guests who also joined in the celebration.

Chairman of the Arsenal Premier League Champions Parade and Celebration Committee, musical artist Orduen Ikon, popularly known as OD Woods, led supporters during the victory parade, describing the occasion as a reward for years of patience, loyalty and endurance by Arsenal fans.

Ikon, who also serves as the Benue State Coordinator of the National Brand Development and Made in Nigeria Project Office, said Arsenal supporters had endured years of ridicule and mockery from rival clubs while waiting for the team to return to the summit of English football.

“This is worth celebrating because after 22 years of waiting, all the banter we received, and after finishing second so many times, today we are number one,” he said.

He added that the celebration was organised to allow Arsenal supporters in Benue State and beyond share in the excitement of the club’s latest achievement. “We want the whole of Benue and the world to share in our joy and happiness. We have been called bottlers and second-class citizens, but today is our day to celebrate,” Ikon stated.

According to him, the event was not only aimed at marking Arsenal’s Premier League triumph but also at showcasing the unity, passion and commitment among the club’s supporters in the state.

Ikon disclosed that activities lined up for the celebration included a trophy parade, music, dancing, barbecue, entertainment and a raffle draw, adding that a cow had been prepared for roasting at the venue.

“We want to celebrate this patient and well-deserved victory and show others how football success should be celebrated,” he said.

He also expressed appreciation to Arsenal players, coaches and staff for ending the club’s long wait for the Premier League title. “We are going to celebrate this team forever. Every player, member of the coaching crew, kitchen staff and everyone who contributed to this success will always be remembered as the team that brought victory back to Arsenal,” Ikon added.

Speaking during the celebration, Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Makurdi Local Government Area, Mr. Paul Tion, described the victory as symbolic and deeply emotional for long-time supporters of the club.

“I’m an Arsenal supporter. I’ve been a fan of Arsenal for 35 years now. It’s like almost a riotous situation here. It’s very symbolic for us because it took us 22 years to win this trophy since the time of the Invincibles. So it’s something we’re celebrating today,” Tion said.

He explained that his passion for the English club had become a family tradition.
“I grew up in a family of Arsenal supporters. As you can see, my kids are here. I have tried to mentor them to become Arsenal fans and I’m sure they will pass this to the next generation,” he added.

According to him, the celebration went beyond football as it brought together people across religious and political divides.

“This cuts across political divides. For us, this is a unifying factor. We are Arsenal fans, we are Arsenal supporters, we are an Arsenal family. Devoid of your religious beliefs, your political beliefs or associations, what we are here for is Arsenal. And that is what has united us here,” he stated.

Tion further disclosed that the supporters had lined up humanitarian activities as part of the celebration.

“We have a programme for this celebration. It’s not just the watch party. We have a thanksgiving service on June 7 at St. Mark’s Catholic Church, Apir. After that, we will proceed to support Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs. We have set up collection centres for relief items and we also have a cow that we intend to donate to them,” he said.

Some female supporters who spoke at the event expressed excitement over the club’s triumph.

One of the fans, Emanuella Hwande, said the victory had brought immense joy to Arsenal faithful.

“We are out here to celebrate Arsenal’s victory after 22 years of nothing. Today we are so excited that we are all gathered to celebrate the victory,” she said.

Another supporter, Deborah Adeka, could barely hide her emotions. "As you can see, we are here to celebrate Arsenal after 22 years of waiting. I am happy. I am overwhelmed,” she said.

Also speaking, the Vice Chairman of the Central Planning Committee for the celebration, Mr. Joseph Kutuh, recounted his long journey as an Arsenal supporter dating back to the arrival of Nigerian football legend Nwankwo Kanu at the club in 1999.

“I’ve been supporting Arsenal since 1999 immediately Kanu Nwankwo joined Arsenal. Then I discovered that Arsene Wenger was a wonderful coach and the playing style of the club made us stick to it,” Kutuh said.

He noted that the long wait for another major trophy subjected Arsenal fans to years of ridicule from rival supporters.

“In 2004 we won the last trophy and my children were very small then. Now they are all grown and one is even married. After 22 years, there has been so much pressure and banter. People even joked that we couldn’t order Trophy beer. That’s why we are very excited this has happened,” he added.

Kutuh praised the current squad for restoring pride to the club’s supporters worldwide.

“The players who made us this joyful have written their names in gold. They will always be remembered as one of the most classic teams in Arsenal history. They have entered the book of legends,” he said.

The Media Strategist of the Arsenal Trophy Parade and Watch Party, Iorliam Shija, explained that the parade and watch party held in Makurdi were only part of a broader two-week celebration programme organised by Arsenal supporters in Benue State.

Shija, who formerly served as an aide to ex-Governor Samuel Ortom, explained that several other activities had been lined up to sustain the celebration among fans of the club across the state.

He disclosed that one of the major events scheduled is a grand watch party on May 30 for the UEFA Champions League final, which is expected to attract large numbers of Arsenal supporters and football enthusiasts.

According to him, the programme will also feature a thanksgiving mass at St. Mark’s Catholic Church, Apir, where fans are expected to gather in appreciation of the club’s achievements during the season.

He further revealed that humanitarian visits to Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, camps had also been included in the programme as part of efforts to extend support and encouragement to vulnerable persons in the state.

Shija noted that the activities were designed not only to celebrate Arsenal’s success but also to promote unity, community engagement and humanitarian outreach. He urged fans to remain coordinated both online and offline, participate actively in all scheduled events, and continue promoting the celebration using the official hashtag, #BenueArsenal.