Jimma Aba Jiffar Football Club won the 2017/8 Ethiopian Premier League title after defeating Adama Kenema 5-0 on Week 30 of the championship to trophy for the first time.
The Jimma, Oromia based club won by three goals margin (had a goal difference of 24) since their closest rivals Saint George (with 21 goals difference) had also won 2-0 against Hawassa Kenema.
Both Jimma Aba Jiffar and St George had tied on 55 points apiece.
Even though Jimma and Saint George FC ended the season with 55 points from 30 matches each, the former had a better goal difference (+24 vs +21).
It was a double celebration day for Jimma as the team’s Nigerian striker Okiki Afolabi won the league’s top scorers’ boot with 23 goals including 4 that he scored against Adama Kenema on the final day of the season.
St George, home to Uganda Cranes goalkeeper Robert Odongkara remains the record league winners in Ethiopia having won 15 titles since 1998.
The other two Ugandans Hamis Kiiza Diego and Yassar Mugerwa finished 7th with Fasil Kenema Football Club.
Ethio-Electric, Abraminch Kenema and Woldia were all relegated to the country’s second tier league.
List of the Ethiopian Premier League Champions over the past 20 years:
- 1998 Mebrat Hayl (Addis Ababa)
- 1999 St. George (Addis Ababa)
- 2000 St. George (Addis Ababa)
- 2001 Mebrat Hayl (Addis Ababa)
- 2002 St. George (Addis Ababa)
- 2003 St. George (Addis Ababa)
- 2004 Awassa Kenema (Awassa)
- 2005 St. George (Addis Aaeba)
- 2006 St. George (Addis Ababa)
- 2007 Awassa Kenema (Awassa)
- 2008 St. George (Addis Aaeba)
- 2009 St. George (Addis Abeba)
- 2010 St. George (Addis Abeba)
- 2011 Ethiopia Bunna (Addis Abeba)
- 2012 St. George (Addis Abeba)
- 2013 Dedebit (Addis Abeba)
- 2014 St. George (Addis Abeba)
- 2015 St. George (Addis Abeba)
- 2016 St. George (Addis Abeba)
- 2017 St. George (Addis Abeba)
- 2018 Jimma Aba Jifar (Jimma, Oromia)
