Bernard Ovoke will not be available for Kano Pillars when they face Kun Khalifat FC in their Matchday 36 fixture at the Dan Anyiam Stadium in Owerri on Sunday, but the forward has made clear that his absence on the pitch does not mean his mind is elsewhere.
Sidelined by injury, Ovoke took time to send a message of encouragement to his teammates before the game. "Injury may have ruled me out, but my heart is with the boys," he said. "All the best to my Kano Pillars family in the next game. Fight for the badge, fight for each other."
It is the kind of message that carries weight at a club facing the kind of pressure Kano Pillars are currently under. Avoiding defeat in Owerri is important as the club continues to fight off the threat of relegation.
Ovoke has been one of the brighter figures in the squad in recent weeks — he was among the scorers when Pillars put four past Bendel Insurance FC at home in Matchday 33. Losing him to injury ahead of a difficult away trip is not ideal, but the squad will need to find a way through without him.
Away games have been a particular struggle for the side lately, and the boys will need to show the fighting spirit Ovoke is calling for if they are to come away from Owerri with something useful.