By Dayo Awoniyi
The Akwa Ibom State Government has approved sweeping changes in the leadership of its two flagship football clubs — Akwa United and Ibom Angels — in a bid to inject fresh energy and direction into both sides, Nigeria Footballng reports.
At Akwa United, Mr. Joseph Eno has been appointed Chairman, with Pastor Ini Edoho as Vice Chairman. Mr. Jimmy Joshua takes over as General Manager, while Elder Omon Bassey assumes the role of Secretary.
Other key appointments include Mr. Festus Akpan as Team Manager, Mr. Mfon Patrick as Media Manager, and Mr. NsikakAbasi Akpan as his assistant.
For the women’s side, Ibom Angels, Prince Ukeme Ukpong has been named Chairman. A long-time promoter of women’s football and grassroots sports, Ukpong is also the founder of the Prince Ukeme Ukpong Mega Foundation, which has organized the popular Unity Cup for more than a decade.
The Ibom Angels management team will also feature Elder John Udo as Secretary (assisted by Mr. Cyril Orok), Hon. Ndah Ndah as Team Coordinator, Coach Mary Udobia as Team Manager, Mr. Dennis Thadeus as Welfare Officer, Mr. Edidiong Stephen as Media Manager (assisted by Mr. Ini Akang), and Uduak Freddie as Camp Commandant.
The restructuring signals a renewed push by Akwa Ibom State to strengthen its footprint in Nigerian football and ensure its clubs remain competitive on the national stage.
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.
