Former Enyimba FC, Julius Berger FC, FC Ifeanyi Ubah, Heartland FC and Dolphins FC goalkeeper Chijioke Ejiogu has made a remarkable return to the Nigeria Premier Football League nearly eight years after retirement following his move to Kun Khalifat FC in Owerri.
Popularly known as “Arugo Monkey,” the veteran shot-stopper last featured in the domestic top flight during the 2018 season when he played for Heartland FC.
The 41-year-old, who first rose to prominence in 1999 with FC Arugo, a team formed by the late Uche Ejimofor, delivered an outstanding performance on his debut for Kun Khalifat in Sunday’s league clash against Bayelsa United.
Ejiogu’s heroics between the posts proved decisive as Kun Khalifat secured a 1–0 victory, with Uchechukwu Onuoha scoring the only goal of the match in the 45th minute.
The experienced goalkeeper produced a series of crucial saves throughout the encounter, frustrating Bayelsa United who pushed relentlessly in search of an equaliser.
Ejiogu remains one of the most decorated players in Nigerian domestic football, having won seven FA Cup titles across four different clubs — Julius Berger (2002), Dolphins (2004, 2006, 2007), Enyimba (2009, 2014) and Heartland (2012).
He also claimed three NPFL titles with Dolphins (2004) and Enyimba (2009, 2015), in addition to two Super Cup trophies with Julius Berger (2004) and Enyimba (2010).
His return to the league adds experience and leadership to Kun Khalifat as the club continues its campaign in the Nigerian top flight.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey 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.
