Joseph Arumala has insisted he is not feeling any pressure despite leading the goal-scoring chart in the Nigeria Premier Football League this season.
The Ikorodu City FC striker currently tops the standings with 12 goals but faces stiff competition from Godwin Obaje of Rangers International FC and Emeka Obioma of Abia Warriors FC.
Despite the tight race, Arumala says his focus remains firmly on team success rather than individual accolades.
“I just want to enjoy the remaining games of the season. I am not targeting any number of goals, but I just want to help my team do well so that we can finish the season very well. For me, it is a game at a time,” he told NPFL.com.ng.
The former Nigeria U17 national team forward also acknowledged the unpredictable nature of football, describing the Golden Boot race as still wide open.
“In football anything can happen, so it is still an open race,” he added.
Arumala reiterated that he is not setting personal scoring targets, emphasizing instead his desire to enjoy the rest of the campaign while contributing to his team’s success.
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.
