By Wale Mustapha
Wikki Tourists Technical Adviser Abdu Maikaba has expressed confidence in his team’s chances of earning promotion to the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) after securing a spot in the Nigeria National League (NNL) Super 8 playoffs.
The Bauchi-based side sealed their playoff place with a commanding 4-1 victory over Zamfara United on Sunday at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Stadium.
“When I arrived, the goal was clear: qualify for the Super Eight and bring Wikki Tourists back to the Premier League,” Maikaba told the club’s media.
“We are on the right path. With the caliber of players in our squad and continued support, I believe we will achieve promotion.”
The result sees Wikki Tourists join Barau FC, Yobe Desert Stars, and Doma United as the four teams representing the Northern Conferences A and B in the Super 8 tournament.
The final four playoff spots will be determined from the Southern Conferences A and B in the coming weeks, as the race for NPFL promotion intensifies.
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.
