Nine years is a long time to wait for a trophy. Yet Jos still talks about 2017 like it happened last week. The season is young, and the same question is on every fan’s lips. Can Plateau United win the league again?
Plateau United and the Day Jos Stood Still
On 9 September 2017, Plateau United beat Enugu Rangers 2–0 at the Rwang Pam Stadium. It was the final day of the season. The team went in just one point ahead of MFM FC. They came out as champions of Nigeria.
It was the club’s first NPFL title. Coach Kennedy Boboye led the team to 66 points. The defence did the heavy work. Conceding only 25 goals all season, the fewest in the league.
A Radio, a Captain and a Pankshin Party
I was in Pankshin that year. We followed every match on the radio. Captain Elisha Golbe is from Pankshin, so the pride was double. When the final whistle came, we celebrated loudly. Nobody needed an invitation.
The Peace Boys Since 2017: Good Seasons, No Second Title
The Peace Boys have not won the league again since then. They came close in 2021/22, finishing second. After that, they finished ninth, fifth and seventh. Last season they finished tenth with 50 points.
That is the honest picture. The club has had good moments. It has not yet built a second title run.
Where the Peace Boys Stand Today
After 10 matches this season, Plateau United sit fourth with 15 points. The leaders are on 17, and Rangers International have games in hand. So the race is open.
The results have been mixed. A 4–0 win over Kano Pillars showed the attacking power. Defeats to Enyimba and Sporting Lagos, and a 2–2 draw in Katsina, showed the cost of small mistakes. To win the league, the Peace Boys must close out games and pick up more points away from home.
The Day New Jos Stadium Almost Filled Up
My best memory this season is the Kano Pillars match. The New Jos Stadium, with its capacity of over 60,000, was almost full. The Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Comrade Prince Miaphen, worked with Mangu Local Government to make the gate free. Fans came out in their numbers. The Peace Boys responded with a 4–0 win. It was one of the most beautiful sights I have seen.
More Than Football for Plateau United Fans
Plateau United means more than three points. On match day, ethnicity and religion fall away. We shout with one voice. We hug, celebrate and complain together. In my second season handling the fans’ TV, I see the passion and the hope up close. I believe the club can be used on purpose to spread peace and love in the state.
Can Plateau United Do It Again?
Nobody can promise a title. A season has 38 matches, and 28 are still to be played. The team has a good start, a loud home crowd and a real chance to stay in the race. It also needs more steady results.
If the Peace Boys do win again, Jos will paint the city once more. Fans will enjoy everything differently. Players will earn national and international recognition. And the state will stake its claim again as the home of football talent in Nigeria.
Nine years ago, Plateau United showed what is possible. Now it is time to write the next chapter.