Theophilus Afelokhai, a former Kano Pillars goalkeeper and captain, has exclusively narrated to Completesports.com how he stopped his son, Precious Afelokhai, from taking after him as a goalkeeper.
The 38-year-old Afelokhai is a veteran Nigeria Premier Football League star who enjoyed successful career spells with Kano Pillars, Enyimba and Rivers United.
Now a free agent after a two-year contract with Rivers United, Afelokhai spoke to Completesports.com on Friday from his Kaduna base, applauding the leadership of the NPFL for a successful 2025/2026 season, which comes to a fitting end on Sunday, 24 May 2026 — the same day the English Premier League season will conclude.
Veteran Goalie Praises NPFL Leadership For Landmark 2025/2026 Campaign
He was full of praise for the NPFL hierarchy for midwifing a season that not only aligned the domestic league calendar with the EPL but also ensured that, unlike the EPL where the winner emerged before the final day, the NPFL champion will only emerge after the Matchday 38 round of games. He stressed that such development is a good advertisement for the domestic league and a clear testament to the good work done by the NPFL Management under Honourable Gbenga Elegbeleye.
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“My son, Precious Afelokhai, 17, wanted to be a goalkeeper, but I kept discouraging him,” Afelokhai began.
“I told him time after time that he was better off as an outfield player, but he kept looking at my successes in goalkeeping as encouragement.
“Most times when I’m not around, he would take my gloves and go out for training as a goalkeeper.
“But one day, I took him out for training and after that everything changed. I took him through a serious, strenuous session, and he stopped training as a goalkeeper and moved to playing as an attacker — a position which, till date, I believe suits him most and where I wanted him to play.”
Afelokhai Explains Why He Wanted Son To Play As An Attacker
Afelokhai recalled his plethora of titles in the Nigerian league, emphasising that he would have been like Cristiano Ronaldo and made much more money had he played as a striker.
“You know what? Even as a goalkeeper, I was the highest-paid player in Nigeria — go and verify. Not only when I was at Kano Pillars as captain, but also while I was at Enyimba and Rivers United.
“So, you can ask yourself how much I would have made if I were a striker and in that form during that period.”
Afelokhai was Kano Pillars’ highest-paid player with a monthly take-home package of N2m. When he moved to Enyimba, his salary was N800,000 before it was later increased to N1m, alongside other performance-related bonuses.
When he moved to Rivers United in 2020, Afelokhai earned a monthly salary of N2m. He crowned his domestic career with seven league titles — four with Kano Pillars, two with Enyimba and one with Rivers United.
Afelokhai Reflects On Trophy-Laden Career And Penalty Heroics
“During my days in the NPFL, I won seven titles, the most, I think, by any player or goalkeeper.
“I won four with Kano Pillars, two with Enyimba and one with Rivers United. I think it wasn’t a bad achievement, if you ask me,” Afelokhai explained.
He also reflected on his remarkable ability to save penalty kicks during his days between the sticks in the Nigeria Premier Football League.
“I can’t put a finger on the actual number of penalty kicks I stopped during my days in the league, continental games and the President Federation Cup,” Afelokhai said.
“It’s too many for me to recollect, but I know that across competitions, I rank as possibly the goalkeeper with the highest number of penalty saves.”
The Delta State-born goalkeeper revealed that he had just returned to Nigeria from the United Arab Emirates, where he participated in an invitational tournament.
Afelokhai Applauds NPFL Board For Improved Officiating And Organisation
With the 2025/2026 NPFL season expected to come to a fitting close this Sunday, 24 May 2026, Afelokhai heaped praise on the leadership of the league organisers for what he described as a ‘first-of-its-kind’ successful season.
“Elegbeleye’s NPFL Board put service before personal gains. That’s the reason we had this kind of success that we never had before.
“He ensured the game moved forward. Those who were there before now were more concerned with their personal interests. This regime drew up a calendar stating the kick-off date and final day of the season and stuck to it. Now, for the very first time in living memory, the NPFL is ending on the same day as the EPL. It never happened before.
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“The 2025/2026 season is clearly a standout one. A season where officiating was 70 per cent better than previous ones. A season where no fewer than 44 games were won by away teams. A season where controversies were reduced to the barest minimum and matchday incidents promptly attended to. Besides, human logic and dialogue were maintained, as was the case during the Kun Khalifat face-off over fixture adjustment,” Afelokhai stated.
NPFL Title Race, Relegation Battle Excite Veteran Goalkeeper
The veteran shot-stopper insisted that the present NPFL regime has done a good job and that whoever succeeds Gbenga Elegbeleye — who is reportedly interested in contesting for a Senate seat — should improve on the current standard.
“He has set the pace and the framework. And I’m sure there are people working with him who will remain even if he leaves. So, whoever comes in and falls short of improving the standard should be kicked out immediately.
“The EPL and other European leagues we admire today were able to build on every success and move forward. They also correct mistakes noticed, and that’s the way forward. Ours cannot be different. Whoever comes in should understand this.”
He admitted that the 2025/2026 season is the first time NPFL winners and relegated teams would emerge after the final matches of the season. Rangers and Rivers United remain in the race for the league title, while Ikorodu City and 3SC are battling for third place and a possible CAF Confederation Cup ticket.
“Maybe, the inability of the league winner to emerge until the end of the final matches of the season is the biggest selling point of the league management,” Afelokhai stated.
“It hasn’t happened like this before. Rangers will need to win their last game against Ikorodu City to win the trophy. Ikorodu City will need to beat Rangers to earn a CAF Confederation Cup ticket. 3SC must also win to stand a chance of securing a CAF Confederation Cup ticket.
“That’s how tough it is, not only at the top in the title race but also at the bottom in the relegation battle. This is a good advertisement for the domestic league, the NPFL. One thing is clear: whoever wins at the end would have done so on merit and would be a good ambassador for the country in next year’s CAF Champions League,” Afelokhai submitted.
By Sab Osuji
