BREAKING: Yemi Olanrewaju joins Rivers United FC as Assistant Coach

Yemi Olanrewaju has been appointed as the new assistant Coach of Rivers United Football Club ahead of the 2025/26 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season, replacing Coach Evans Ogenyi whose contract expired in the previous season.

The 33-year-old UEFA-B licensed caoch, will work under the guidance of Technical Manager Finidi George, whom he previously served under as an assistant manager at Enyimba from 2022 to 2024.

Yemi Olanrewaju fondly known as Yema, previously played professional football before venturing into coaching. He made appearances in the first-tier division in Nigerian football, the Nigeria Professional Football League for Kwara United FC, Ocean Boys FC, and Crown FC. Abroad, he played for Turkish club Kizitepe. He was forced into early retirement from football due to a knee injury sustained while playing for Ocean Boys.

In 2019, Yema was appointed coach of third-division side Magate FC. Later that year, he joined MFM FC as assistant coach to Tony Bolus. In 2022 he became assistant coach to Nduka Ugbade for the Nigeria U17 national team and was also named coach of Nigeria National League side, Vandrezzer FC.

In September 2022 when Finidi George was announced as Enyimba’s coach,[5][6] he handpicked Yema as his assistant. They won a record-extending ninth Nigeria Premier League title for Enyimba.

In May 2024 when Finidi resigned from his position at Enyimba after he was appointed as coach of Nigeria’s national football team, Yema was appointed as interim head coach of the team till the end of the season. In August 2024, Yemi was confirmed as the permanent head coach of Enyimba.

Rivers United finished second in the 2024/25 seasom, securing a place in the CAF Confederation Cup. The addition of Yemi, bolsters their coaching staff as they aim to do one better and emerge champions of the League, aswell as make a good showing on the continent.