The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Obaje

  • Staying on top will be difficult, says Wikki’s Obaje

    Staying on top will be difficult, says Wikki’s Obaje

    Wikki Tourist  claimed the top spot on the NPFL log after recording a 3-1 win over defending champions and Caf Champions League campaigners, Enyimba in Bauchi on Wednesday.

    The Bauchi Elephants are tied on points with Rivers United at the top but have a superior goals difference to claim the top spot.

    In-form striker Godwin Obaje, who has scored 13 goals this term, insisted that Wikki must work hard to stay at the top.

    “We just want to keep on working as a team to see that we maintain our top spot because going to the top is easy but remaining at the top is much more difficult, so we won’t relax instead we shall keep on pushing on as a team,” Obaje told Goal.

    “I believe I can score more goals, thank God I scored 13 goals this first stanza, I want to score as many as possible in the second round by God grace,” he added.

  • Wikki Tourists: Obaje not for sale at any price in Nigeria

    Wikki Tourists: Obaje not for sale at any price in Nigeria

    Wikki Tourists’ chairman, Isa Matori has stressed that they have no intention of selling key players such as Godwin Obaje to any Nigerian club but would welcome a move from European clubs.

    Obaje has been linked with a move away from the Bauchi side because of his prolific start to the NPFL where he has netted 12 goals from 18 matches with Enyimba and FC IfeanyiUbah rumoured to be trailing the striker.

    “It is our goal to qualify for continental competition at the end of the season and Obaje and few other players are among our players who are not for sale at any price to Nigerian clubs. We were very close to picking a ticket to Africa last season but fell short at the last minute.

    “We have learnt from our mistakes and we want to keep all our best players including Obaje who is pivotal to our season’s plans. We can’t sell him to any Nigerian club and be left depleted but we won’t mind selling to a foreign club at the right fee if he is willing to move on,” Matori told SportingLife.

    Matori confirmed to SportingLife that the club would only be making two or three additions to the playing staff with emphasis on the midfield and forwards as they are satisfied with the defence and  goalkeeping departments.

  • Obaje plays down Wikki’s title talk

    Obaje plays down Wikki’s title talk

    With the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) heading to the business end, all the 20 teams are working towards a sprint finish that would see them reach or even exceed their season’s ambitions and Godwin Obaje believes the title race may continue until the last day.

    However, he has stressed for less pressure on Wikki Tourists from their die hard fans.

    “If I were to rate our title chances at this moment, I’d rather pass the chance because it is still too early in my opinion,” Obaje told Goal.

    “We still have tough games to play in the second round. If we scale through, we can only watch how things unfold. As a team, we want to give our best each game at a time so for the moment we are focusing on the Ikorodu United game next weekend.”

    Wikki Tourists are fourth on the league log with 28 points from 17 games.

  • Scottish club chase goal poacher Obaje

    Scottish club chase goal poacher Obaje

    Nigeria league current leading scorer, Godwin Obaje, who plies his trade with Wikki Tourists,  is a subject of serious transfer target by an unnamed Scottish club, a top official of the Bauchi side has told SportingLife.

    Obaje has scored 12 goals in the league as at Match Day 18 ties including six in the last four matches and the chairman of Wikki, Alhaji Isa Matori has told SportingLife that a top Scottish club has made enquiries about the striker.

    He also confirmed that a club in the NPFL has also reached out to them to ask for the striker’s services but that they would only like Obaje to leave for another club at the right price.

    The Wikki chairman informed SportingLife that they would consider so many things before allowing their leading marksman to go . The player must also show the willingness that he desires a move.

    He also pointed out that selling Obaje to a foreign club would be the perfect fix for the Bauchi side as it desires to recoup part of the cash spent before acquiring his signature.

  • Obaje scores 12th goal as Wikki lose to Sunshine

    Obaje scores 12th goal as Wikki lose to Sunshine

    It was a battle of strikers when hosts Sunshine Stars beat Wikki Tourists 3-1 as Nigeria league leading scorer, Godwin Obaje netted his 12th goal of the season with Afolabi Okiki grabbing a brace to take his tally to 10 goals.

    Obaje restored parity for Wikki in the 40th minute after Sunshine took the lead in the 29th minute, when Okiki slotted home a penalty.

     Okiki proved to be the sharper striker on the day when he produced the winning goal in the 53rd minute via a superb header off a pullout.

    Skipper Sunday Abe then made the game safe for Sunshine with a third goal in the 84th minute.

    In stoppage time, Okiki would have completed his hat-trick, but he failed to beat the Wikki goalkeeper when he came face-to-face with him.

  • Wikki: We have not received offers from any club for Obaje

    Wikki: We have not received offers from any club for Obaje

    Wikki Tourists have distanced themselves from reports in the media linking their striker, Godwin Obaje to CAF Champions League campaigners, Enyimba ahead of the group stage of the money spinning club competition.

    The People’s Elephant qualified for the group stage of the African club showpiece last month in Tunisia after beating Etoile du Sahel on penalties after both legs ended 3-3 apiece on aggregate and media have called out names of Ibrahim Mustapha of El Kanemi Warriors and Obaje as the two new additions to the team.

    But in an interview with the chairman of Wikki Tourists, Alhaji Isa Matori he declared that Obaje still remains the bonafide player of the Bauchi based club and that they have not received any correspondence from Enyimba or their representatives to that effect.

    Matori told SportingLife they don’t dwell on media speculation and that in as much as they won’t stand in the way of the progress of any of their players they believe that everything must be done and that the club must be contacted before any move can materialise.

    He said Obaje remains one of their best players and that they would be delighted he stays with them to help them achieve their continental ambition but that he is free to leave the club at the right price if other clubs wish to have his services.

    Obaje has scored eight goals for Wikki Tourists in the NPFL and was in the Bauchi side team that played Rivers United in Port Harcourt yesterday.

  • Obaje leads Nigeria league goals race

    Obaje leads Nigeria league goals race

    Wikki Tourists striker Godwin Obaje, who is wanted by Enyimba for the CAF Champions League, has taken over the leadership of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) top scorers’ chart after his two goals helped his team beat Nasarawa United 2-1 in a Week 15 game at the weekend.

    Obaje is setting the pace with eight goals.

    He is closely followed by the quartet of Ismaila Gata (Niger Tornadoes), Anthony Okpotu (Lobi Stars), Mustapha Ibrahim (El Kanemi Warriors) and Okiki Afolabi (Sunshine Stars) on seven goals.

    Chisom Egbuchulam (Rangers), Stephen Odey (MFM FC) and Wasiu Jimoh (3SC) have six goals each.

    With five goals are Esosa Igbinoba (Nasarawa United), Ndifreke Effiong (Abia Warriors), Friday Ebong (Akwa United)and Kingsley Eduwo (Lobi Stars).

    Rabiu Ali, Prince Aggrey (Kano Pillars), Pascal Seka ( FC IfeanyiUbah), Ebong (Akwa United), Bernard Ovoke (Rivers United) and Godwin Aguda (Rangers), all have netted four goals each.

  • Obaje eyes more goals for Plateau United

    Obaje eyes more goals for Plateau United

    CHAN 2014 Eagles star, Joshua Obaje has told AfricanFootball.com he is looking forward to score more goals to lift Plateau United after his debut goal helped the Jos team record a 2-2 draw with Shooting Stars in Ibadan.

    The former ASO Chlef of Algeria forward said he also believes Plateau United will compete on their return to the top flight.

    “I feel so excited to score my first goal for Plateau United against 3SC and earn our first away point,” he told AfricanFootball.com

    “I won’t set any goals’ target, but I will keep working hard to score as many goals as I can to lift my club.”

    Obaje further told AfricanFootball.com Plateau will not make a prompt return to the second-tier league

  • Obaje: We must fight, fight, fight

    Wikki Tourists striker Godwin Obaje believes his side can make the CAF Continental Competition come the end of the season.

    The Bauchi-based team is currently 4th in the table, three points behind leaders Sunshine Stars.

    But the former Mighty Jets forward has claimed that a win over Heartland.

    FC on Sunday could kick-start something special.

    “We can still aim for continental ticket as for the title it is too early to talk about,” he told a News24. “But we have to give it our all.“We must fight, fight, and fight. We need to set the bar high and could not go under it.

    “But it will be tough against Heartland who defeated us 4-0 in the match-day 19. The main objective on Sunday is getting the three maximum points.”

  • Obaje completes move to ASO Chief

    Obaje completes move to ASO Chief

    Ex-Black Leopards and Warri Wolves forward, Joshua Obaje, has completed his move to Algeria top division side ASO Chief after the issuance of his International Transfer Certificate(ITC) by his parent club Warri Wolves.

    Obaje agreed a two-year deal with the Algerian outfit a week ago, but the move wasn’t rubber stamp until this week after Warri Wolves gave the green light to the move.

    “Yes he is cleared to join,” Gabriel Obaje, his elder brother told SL10.

    “We will like to thank Warri Wolves for their professionalism and understanding in issuing his ITC and other Nigeria team should borrow a leaf from them on transfers abroad.”

    The player joined the Nigerian side at the start of the season after spending two years in South Africa with Black Leopards.

    The CHAN 2014 bronze medalist joined the team alongside another Nigerian Ikechukwu Francis, an Ex Under-23 forward who moved on a free to ASO Chief from Al-Ahli Shandi of Sudan.

    Both players participated in the team’s pre-season tour of Turkey and played matches as they get set for the Algeria League.

    His move to Algeria brings to six the number of clubs the 24-year-old has played for.

    In the past the Moderate FC product turned out locally for Jigawa FC, Lobi Stars and Heartland before Joining PSL side Black Leopards of South Africa.

    After two years with the side he returned back home after they were relegated to the lower league in South Africa to join Warri Wolves.

    At Warri Wolves he was a part of the team that failed to make it to the group stage of the CAF Confederations Cup at the start of the season and featured regularly before his move to ASO Chief at the commencement of the second stanza of the Nigeria Glo NPFL league.