An African club's CEO seems to be following in Royal AM chairman Andile Mpisane's footsteps, having made his official first-team debut on the weekend.
The South African personality is involved in the boardroom of the DStv Premiership club, but has also represented the side on the field on multiple occasions, to much scrutiny and criticism.
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Now, Nigerian first division club Enugu Rangers executive Amobi Ezeaku has seemingly begun treading the same path.
He made his competitive debut for the team in their 2-0 victory over Niger Tornadoes in a Nigerian Premier Football League (NPFL) encounter on Sunday, after being appointed as the club's chief executive officer in August last year.
Ezeaku later explained that the decision to play him – he emerged as a second-half substitute after Rangers had already taken a two-goal lead – after he was registered as a player for the second half of this season came from the club's coaches.
"I didn't decide, the coaching crew decided," he said on Sports Salsa via Kennis 104.1 FM with Dr. Mitchell Obi, per Soccernet Nigeria.
"I train with the team all the time, and they felt I still have something to offer on the pitch.
"Coach [Fidelis] Ilechukwu is not a small coach in the system.
"... My inclusion in the team is based on sporting merit and nothing more."
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Ezeaku also took to social media to describe his experience in a heartfelt expression of emotions.
"I woke up in tears. Fulfilled. This means a lot to me. To wear the badge of this great Club," he wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter).
"To fight for this badge and the people who love this. To fight for our Ancestors and protection of our history.
"I was born loving this game and this Club. I will die loving this game and this Club. This is beyond the game. This is more than the game. This is my life...
"We are Rangers International F.C of Enugu."
According to The Guardian Nigeria, the CEO is also a qualified lawyer who has completed a FIFA master's programme, among a number of other accomplishments.
He also has certificates qualifying him to manage football teams, which he has already done, having won the NPFL title and Aiteo cups in 2016 and 2018.
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As impressive as that might be, it does not end there. Ezeaku was also a Transfer Matching System Manager at the club he currently runs, and holds the record for being the youngest-ever administrator to win the NPFL title.
Rangers are currently third in the NPFL after 23 matches played, behind leaders Lobi Stars and second-placed Plateau United.
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