Coach Wemimo Mathew Set to Join Bayelsa Queens on Two-Year Deal

Coach Wemimo Mathew is set to become the new head coach of Bayelsa Queens after agreeing to an initial two-year contract with the Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL) champions, according to reports from Echonews.

The appointment follows the departure of Whyte Ogbonda, whose contract expired after two seasons in charge of the Prosperity Girls. Ogbonda guided Bayelsa Queens to the 2025 NWFL Premiership title at Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne before leaving the club at the end of his deal.

Wemimo arrives after spending three years with Remo Stars Ladies, where she established herself as one of the league’s respected tacticians. She has reportedly accepted the challenge of leading Bayelsa Queens into a new era.

A reliable source, who requested anonymity, disclosed that the club turned to Wemimo after Nigeria’s Flamingos head coach, Hakeem Busari, declined the offer in order to remain focused on his national team responsibilities.

The experienced coach has previously managed Sunshine Queens and Edo Queens. Despite her impressive coaching résumé, she is yet to win either the NWFL Premiership or the Federation Cup, making her move to Bayelsa Queens an opportunity to secure her first major domestic title.

Bayelsa Queens remain one of the most successful clubs in Nigerian women’s football. The Yenagoa-based side has won the NWFL Premiership six times and lifted the Federation Cup twice, in 2007 and 2021.

The Prosperity Girls also boast Nigeria’s best continental achievement, finishing third at the 2022 CAF Women’s Champions League. In 2025, they made history by becoming the first Nigerian club to qualify for and reach the final of the WAFU B Women’s Champions League.

Wemimo’s expected arrival signals the club’s ambition to maintain its dominance in Nigerian women’s football while building on its growing reputation on the continental stage.

Samuel Ahmadu

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.

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