By Saheed Afolabi
Former Nigeria international Garba Lawal has called for the return of national team captain Ahmed Musa to the Super Eagles following his impressive performances with Kano Pillars in the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL).
Musa, who has been absent from the national team since the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), where Nigeria finished as runners-up, has been in fine form for his club.
Lawal praised Musa’s tenacity, consistency, and determination, noting that his continued excellence at the club level shows his hunger to prove himself at the highest level.
“I think coach Augustine Eguavoen is in the best position to decide that,” Lawal stated. “It reflects his hunger for the game and his determination to prove he still belongs at the highest level.”
The former international also acknowledged the challenges of playing in the NPFL, where the competition is fierce, but Musa has managed to score five goals, a remarkable feat in the league.
“Despite these challenges, he has scored five goals already. For me, that’s remarkable,” Lawal added.
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.
