Sabina Chikere sees Edo Queens progress under Moses Aduku in trophyless campaign

By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde

The Permanent Secretary of Edo State Sports Commission, Sabina Chikere is optimistic for Edo Queens in the next Nigeria Women’s Football League Premiership season despite a first trophyless campaign under Moses Aduku.

Aduku joined the Benin outfit in August 2022 following his season double title success with Bayelsa Queens and Edo Queens were are destined to finish excel he guided them to the NWFL Premiership Super Six as Group B winners.

Unfortunately, they suffered an early exit from the NWFL Premiership Super Six just few days after their elimination from the 2023 Women’s Federation Cup following a 1-0 semi-final defeat to holders Bayelsa Queens in Akwa.

Despite irked by the setback, the football administrator is, however, of the opinion that progress is being made at the Edo Queens and that 2023-24 promises to be considerably more productive as they take aim at major silverware.

“The season has ended, we had high expectations for Edo queen but unfortunately what we got was not what we wanted,” Chikere told Nigeriafooball.ng.

“We wanted the better results but, like it happened, God knows best why it happened, it was not the result expected. So far, so good, Edo Queens has progressed, we are still very hopeful, that by next season we bounce back.

“We have seen the loopholes, where we made mistakes, where there were issues. What we will do is to go back and make amendments We will bounce back.

“We were very expectant, going by how we went through with the league. At the end of the day, we didn’t get what we wanted. We will go back to the drawing board, we will definitely go back to rethink all we did through the league by winning all our matches. We will improve.

“Football, you can’t predict, tables can turn. Delta Queens coming to lead it now is not the usual name, shows you that the women’s league is coming up. It is not business as usual everybody is aspiring to be the best.

“You will see more of this coming up in the women’s league. Not what everyone expected. Next year, we will have another surprise. Women’s league is coming up. And it will grow better, by the years.”

Edo Queens will shift focus on pre-season activities, beginning with the Betsy Obaseki Women’s Football Tournament (BOWFT) and other friendlies in preparation for next season.

The Benin-based side will hope to challenge for the title by displacing reigning champions Delta Queens next season.