By Rasheed Adewuyi, New York
Former Stationery Stores FC player Chuks Akuneto has called on the children of the club’s late founder to unite and cooperate if the once-iconic Lagos football team is to be revived and restored to its former glory.
In an exclusive interview with Jersey Number 12 on Friday, Akuneto emphasized that any attempt to bring back the “Flaming Flamingos” must first secure the backing and approval of the Adebajo family.
“If I have my way, I would try to convince the Adebajo family to revive the club. It saddens my heart to see that the team that gave me the opportunity to play professional football while I was still in the university is no more,” he said.
Akuneto, the Head coach of U-19 Oldham Athletic, UK expressed his willingness to support any genuine efforts aimed at reviving the Lagos-based side, which once enjoyed massive grassroots support and produced several national stars.
Jersey Number 12 gathered that a group of passionate supporters in Europe, America, and Nigeria are quietly developing plans to mediate between the warring factions of the Adebajo family in hopes of restoring the club.
Stationery Stores FC, widely known as the “Flaming Flamingo” went defunct in the late 1990s following a protracted legal battle between two heirs of founder Israel Adebajo. A 1998 court injunction barred the team from participating in competitions, causing its collapse. During this period, players reportedly operated without contracts, proper kits, or financial support.
Before its decline, Stationery Stores was one of Nigeria’s most successful clubs, with 18 major trophies, including 13 Lagos State Challenge Cups, 4 National FA Cups, and the Nigerian Premier League title in 1992. The club also made a mark on the continental stage, finishing runners-up in the 1981 African Cup Winners’ Cup.
Calls for revival continue to grow, but insiders stress that unity within the founding family remains the missing piece for a full comeback.
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