By Wale Mustapha
Ikorodu City have bolstered their technical department with the appointment of former Nigeria international goalkeeper Femi Thomas as goalkeeper trainer.
The Oga Boys confirmed the appointment in a statement on Thursday, describing Thomas as an “NPFL legend and league title winner.”
Thomas enjoyed a career spanning nearly two decades in the Nigeria Premier Football League, winning the league title with Enyimba in 2015 and repeating the feat with Enugu Rangers the following year.
The veteran shot-stopper also featured for several NPFL clubs, including the defunct Ocean Boys, Sharks FC, Rivers United, Nasarawa United, Akwa United, Abia Warriors and Heartland.
On the international stage, he was part of Nigeria’s Flying Eagles squad to the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Canada and represented the home-based Super Eagles at the 2016 African Nations Championship (CHAN) in Rwanda.
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.
