By Dayo Awoniyi
Niger Tornadoes have been handed a major boost in their fight for survival in the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) with the return of top scorer Joseph Godstime from injury.
The attacking midfielder, who has contributed five goals and four assists this season, resumed full training this week and is expected to feature in the team’s crucial clash against Abia Warriors.
“Thank God I’m back in the team with the zeal and grace of God to make it happen,” Godstime said.
“We have just three games to go, and I believe in myself and my teammates. We’re capable of keeping this team up.”
Tornadoes’ form dipped significantly in the second half of the season, largely due to injuries to key players including Godstime, Victor Okoro, and Ifeanyi Okechukwu—all of whom have now returned to full fitness.
“I know I can’t do it alone without my teammates, but I have strong hope that we’ll win the next match,” Godstime added.
The Ikon Allah Boys, currently battling to avoid relegation, will look to field a near full-strength squad in Saturday’s must-win encounter.
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.
