By Wale Mustapha
Former Enugu Rangers midfielder Chiedozie Okorie is close to finalizing a move to Kano Pillars ahead of the 2025/2026 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season.
The 26-year-old has completed his contract with Rangers and is now a free agent.
According to sources close to the deal, Okorie is in advanced talks with the Kano-based club and is expected to sign in the coming days.
Okorie was a key figure in Rangers’ title-winning 2023/2024 campaign, making 40 appearances and scoring six goals for the Flying Antelopes.
The move to Kano Pillars would see the experienced midfielder bolster a squad aiming to return to top form in the new season.
If confirmed, Okorie will bring leadership and creativity to the Pyramid Boys’ midfield, adding depth and top-flight experience.
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.
