By Saheed Afolabi
Nigerian football legend, Mikel John Obi, has heaped praise on Nottingham Forest fullback, Ola Aina, for his outstanding performances this season.
Aina has played a pivotal role in Forest’s remarkable run in the English Premier League, helping the club secure third place in the table with 37 points from 19 matches.
Mikel, who has followed Aina’s career closely, commended the 28-year-old for his improved defensive skills and his ability to deliver crucial crosses to create opportunities for his team.
“He has had a good season so far. One thing he has added to his game this season is that he’s defending well,” Mikel said in an interview on the Obi One Podcast.
“He is putting in a lot of crosses now and, of course, chipping in a couple of goals as well, which is absolutely fantastic to see.
Mikel also reflected on Aina’s potential, noting that the fullback had always been a talented player, even during his days at Chelsea, and is now at the peak of his career with his contributions at Nottingham Forest.
“Listen, we all knew he was a fantastic player at the club. He has gone to Forest and has been playing well since returning to the Premier League from Italy.”
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.
