By Wale Mustapha
Striker Bernard Ovoke has called on his teammates at Bendel Insurance to maintain their focus and resilience following their disappointing goalless draw with Enugu Rangers on Sunday.
The Benin-based side were held to a scoreless stalemate in their Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) Matchday 32 clash at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, leaving them with dropped points that may hinder their championship aspirations.
Despite the setback, Ovoke remained optimistic, urging the squad to quickly shift their focus and prepare for their upcoming fixtures.
“We didn’t get the result we wanted in Benin, but we won’t let that define us. We will stay strong, stay proud, and get ready to roar again in Ilorin,” Ovoke wrote on his X (formerly Twitter) handle.
Insurance now looks to bounce back in their next encounter against Kwara United in Ilorin, as they aim to get back on track in their pursuit of a strong finish to the season. The Matchday 33 showdown will take place over the weekend.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
