By Oluwadamilola Olaleye
Nigeria’s CHAN tea and Remo Stars skipper Nduka Junior has completed a five-year deal with Iraqi Premier League giants Erbil SC, marking the end of an era with the Sky Blues after leading them to a historic first-ever NPFL title.
The central defender, fondly nicknamed “The Emperor”, enjoyed a standout 2023/24 campaign, where his leadership and consistency at the back proved pivotal for the Ikenne-based club.
His exploits also earned him the armband with Nigeria’s home-based Super Eagles squad at the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN), where the team exited at the group stage.
Erbil SC, four-time Iraq Stars League champions, confirmed the acquisition of the Nigerian defender through a statement on their official Facebook page: “The Emperor signed a contract with the Nigerian national team player and the defense line of Nduka Junior for five years. The player of Nigeria national team plays in the heart of defense.”
Nduka leaves Remo Stars as a club icon, admired for his discipline and professionalism. Despite transfer speculations, he remained committed to the cause, even featuring in their season opener against Rivers United before sealing the overseas switch.
The move represents a new chapter for the 24-year-old, who now aims to test himself on the Asian stage while carrying the pride of being part of Remo Stars’ golden history.
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.
