By Wale Mustapha
Reigning African Women’s Footballer of the Year, Asisat Oshoala, has acknowledged the key roles played by three former Super Falcons stars—Perpetua Nkwocha, Precious Dede, and Rita Chikwelu—in helping her settle into the national team during the early stages of her international career.
Oshoala, now 30, made her Super Falcons debut as a teenager, quickly rising through the ranks due to her exceptional talent and work ethic.
Speaking in a recent interview with Arise News, the Bay FC striker credited the trio for offering mentorship and support that shaped her journey.
“Right now, if you Google players to see who has the most goals in the clubs, you have the likes of Perpetua Nkwocha,” Oshoala said.
“Those are the people that actually paved the way for someone like me to be able to come into the Super Falcons and enjoy certain things.
You have the goalkeeper Precious Dede, Rita Chikwelu—so many Super Falcons players. I was fortunate to play with some of them before they retired.”
Oshoala was a key figure in Nigeria’s triumphant 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) campaign in Morocco, where the Super Falcons secured a record-extending 10th title.
Currently playing for Bay FC in the United States’ National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), Oshoala has previously represented top clubs in Europe, including Liverpool, Arsenal, and Barcelona. She holds a record six CAF Women’s Player of the Year titles.
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.
