Joseph Arumala

Attacking Midfielder (L) - Ikorodu City
21 Nov 2027
Sunday
Process
65 Edition

The Ikorodu City Chronicle

25 Oct 2027
From our football correspondent Steady

Market

Gideon Manaseh asks to leave Ikorodu City

“I have given everything here and I need a new challenge.” The request is formal, and the relationship will never be quite the same again.

Squad

Seun Agboola is the real thing at 20

A season average of 7.17 at an age when most of his year group are still in the youth team. Ikorodu City know what they have, and so, by now, does everybody else.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Seun Agboola

“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.

Market

Michael Atata linked with a move away

The name of Michael Atata keeps appearing in other people's back pages. Ikorodu City say nothing, which says plenty.

Loan watch

Samuel Ezekiel keeps scoring at Odd

15 appearances away from home and 4 goals to show for them. Every one of them makes next summer's conversation a little more expensive.

Squad

Ibrahim Abdullahi asks for a word with the manager

“I would rather say it to his face than read about it.” The meeting was requested by the player, which tells you most of what you need to know.

In brief

Back issues
63 Edition

The Ikorodu City Chronicle

11 Oct 2027
From our football correspondent Steady

Squad

Oladimeji Dada: that is not what I was promised

“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” Ikorodu City have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.

Market

Idoto Ocheme hands in a written request

“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what Ikorodu City can pretend not to have heard.

Squad

Joseph George signs a new deal

“I never wanted to be anywhere else. There is unfinished business here.” Joseph George commits to Ikorodu City for another 4 years.

In brief

62 Edition

The Ikorodu City Chronicle

4 Oct 2027
From our football correspondent Steady

Squad

Joseph Arumala signs a new deal

“I never wanted to be anywhere else. There is unfinished business here.” Joseph Arumala commits to Ikorodu City for another 4 years.

Squad

Chineme Chinonso named player of the month

The award goes to Chineme Chinonso, and nobody around here is inclined to argue with the choice.

Loan watch

Samuel Ezekiel wants to come home

“I did not go to Odd to sit and watch. I want to come back to Ikorodu City and fight for my place.” 14 appearances in 29 matches say the rest.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Ayomide Cole

“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.

Squad

Gideon Manaseh knocks on the manager's door

“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Ikorodu City, and both men came out saying it was fine.

Market

Oladimeji Dada linked with a move away

The name of Oladimeji Dada keeps appearing in other people's back pages. Ikorodu City say nothing, which says plenty.

In brief

59 Edition

The Ikorodu City Chronicle

13 Sep 2027
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Market

Idoto Ocheme hands in a written request

“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what Ikorodu City can pretend not to have heard.

Market

Joseph Arumala has one foot out of the door

Terms are settled between the clubs and the rest is paperwork and a photograph. Around Ikorodu City they have already started talking about him in the past tense.

Match

Ikorodu City see off Niger Tornadoes

Three points for Ikorodu City, 2-0 the final word against Niger Tornadoes in a contest settled by the finer margins.

Squad

Seun Agboola signs a new deal

“I never wanted to be anywhere else. There is unfinished business here.” Seun Agboola commits to Ikorodu City for another 5 years.

Loan watch

Owugha Tonyemiete has seen enough of Cotonsport Garoua

“I am grateful for the games, but I did not become a footballer to be somebody else's spare part.” He wants to be at Ikorodu City, and 0 appearances in 5 say he has earned the hearing.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Aliu Salawudeen

“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.

Squad

Chineme Chinonso finally opens his account

He wheeled away like a man who had been carrying it for months, because he had. Ikorodu City have their signing off the mark and one press-conference question retired.

Squad

Ayomide Cole asks for a word with the manager

“I would rather say it to his face than read about it.” The meeting was requested by the player, which tells you most of what you need to know.

Market

Window shut, Gideon Manaseh still here

Ikorodu City spent the window trying to move Gideon Manaseh on and nobody came. He trains with a squad that has already told him he is not part of it, and both sides now wait for the next one.

In brief

58 Edition

The Ikorodu City Chronicle

6 Sep 2027
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Market

Abass Lawal asks to leave Ikorodu City

“I have given everything here and I need a new challenge.” The request is formal, and the relationship will never be quite the same again.

Match

5 matches without a win for Ikorodu City

The run now stands at 5, and the questions being asked around Ikorodu City are no longer polite ones.

Market

Gor Mahia watching Goodluck Anuba

The interest is real enough to have reached print. Ikorodu City have said nothing, which in a transfer window is its own kind of answer.

Loan watch

Joseph George has seen enough of Yenisey

“I am grateful for the games, but I did not become a footballer to be somebody else's spare part.” He wants to be at Ikorodu City, and 2 appearances in 29 say he has earned the hearing.

Squad

Joseph Arumala gets it from the manager

“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.

Squad

Oladimeji Dada loses the armband

The captaincy has been taken off Oladimeji Dada. Ikorodu City will call it a decision about the team; a dressing room reads it as a verdict on a man.

Match

Ikorodu City draw a blank against Nasarawa United

The crowd waited for a goal that never came. Nasarawa United defended in numbers and left with what they came for, and the two sides could be playing still without troubling a scorer.

Squad

Tosin Oyedokun handed the armband

The captaincy goes to Tosin Oyedokun. It is not a job that wins matches, but a dressing room always notices who is given it.

Market

Oladimeji Dada linked with a move away

The name of Oladimeji Dada keeps appearing in other people's back pages. Ikorodu City say nothing, which says plenty.

In brief

57 Edition

The Ikorodu City Chronicle

30 Aug 2027
From our football correspondent Steady

Market

Chidera Oparaocha sold, and an era ends

$330.0K from Warri Wolves for Chidera Oparaocha. Money is money, but the dressing room has lost the man it looked to.

Squad

Rasheed Owolabi says Ikorodu City went back on their word

“I was told what my role would be, and I signed on that basis. It has not happened.” A grievance with a date attached is the hardest kind to settle.

Market

The Katsina United deal is off

Everything was agreed until it was not, and Joseph Arumala reports back to Ikorodu City with a summer to forget. Neither club is saying who walked away from the table.

Squad

Seun Agboola is the real thing at 20

A season average of 7.17 at an age when most of his year group are still in the youth team. Ikorodu City know what they have, and so, by now, does everybody else.

Match

4 matches without a win for Ikorodu City

The run now stands at 4, and the questions being asked around Ikorodu City are no longer polite ones.

Squad

Uzoma Chinonso gets it from the manager

“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.

Squad

Derrick Julu stays put

“The easiest signature of my career.” Derrick Julu and Ikorodu City agree another 3 years, and the manager can plan around him rather than about him.

Market

Enyimba are about to pick up the phone

A conversation is coming this week. Ikorodu City will put a number on him, and from there it stops being football and becomes arithmetic.

Loan watch

Kammonke Willie wants to come home

“I did not go to Hearts of Oak to sit and watch. I want to come back to Ikorodu City and fight for my place.” 7 appearances in 31 matches say the rest.

In brief

54 Edition

The Ikorodu City Chronicle

9 Aug 2027
From our football correspondent Steady

Squad

A one-man rearguard from Michael Atata

There were 7 saves in it, and at least three that had no business being saves at all. The ten outfield players owe him a drink and they know it.

Market

Abass Lawal asks to leave Ikorodu City

“I have given everything here and I need a new challenge.” The request is formal, and the relationship will never be quite the same again.

Market

Chidera Oparaocha has one foot out of the door

Terms are settled between the clubs and the rest is paperwork and a photograph. Around Ikorodu City they have already started talking about him in the past tense.

Match

7 unbeaten for Ikorodu City

Hard to beat is not the same as winning, but 7 matches without defeat is a foundation Ikorodu City did not have in the autumn.

Market

Joseph Arumala attracts admirers

The name of Joseph Arumala has come up in conversations Ikorodu City were not part of. Nothing formal, nothing signed — but nothing about it accidental either.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Gideon Manaseh

“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.

Squad

Goodluck Anuba signs a new deal

“I never wanted to be anywhere else. There is unfinished business here.” Goodluck Anuba commits to Ikorodu City for another 4 years.

Loan watch

Joseph George has seen enough of Yenisey

“I am grateful for the games, but I did not become a footballer to be somebody else's spare part.” He wants to be at Ikorodu City, and 2 appearances in 25 say he has earned the hearing.

Match

Honours even between Ikorodu City and Barau

1-1, and both dressing rooms will call it two points lost. A draw that asked plenty of questions and answered none of them.

In brief

50 Edition

The Ikorodu City Chronicle

12 Jul 2027
From our football correspondent Steady

Match

Ikorodu City through in the cup

A 3-2 win over Rangers International, and the draw for the next round can be watched with some interest for once.

Squad

Taiwo Alao takes the match ball home

3 goals in one afternoon from one man. The other players were also present, a witness confirmed.

Market

Uche Jaguar hands in a written request

“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what Ikorodu City can pretend not to have heard.

Squad

A one-man rearguard from Michael Atata

There were 6 saves in it, and at least three that had no business being saves at all. The ten outfield players owe him a drink and they know it.

Squad

Joseph Arumala says Ikorodu City went back on their word

“I was told what my role would be, and I signed on that basis. It has not happened.” A grievance with a date attached is the hardest kind to settle.

Squad

Daniel Idoko signs a new deal

“I never wanted to be anywhere else. There is unfinished business here.” Daniel Idoko commits to Ikorodu City for another 5 years.

Loan watch

Joseph George wants to come home

“I did not go to Yenisey to sit and watch. I want to come back to Ikorodu City and fight for my place.” 1 appearances in 21 matches say the rest.

Match

Ikorodu City draw a blank against Kwara United

The crowd waited for a goal that never came. Kwara United defended in numbers and left with what they came for, and the two sides could be playing still without troubling a scorer.

Market

Oladimeji Dada linked with a move away

The name of Oladimeji Dada keeps appearing in other people's back pages. Ikorodu City say nothing, which says plenty.

In brief

36 Edition

The Ikorodu City Chronicle

5 Apr 2027
From our football correspondent Steady

Squad

Suleiman Nasiru: that is not what I was promised

“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” Ikorodu City have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.

Market

Aderemi Adeoye has one foot out of the door

Terms are settled between the clubs and the rest is paperwork and a photograph. Around Ikorodu City they have already started talking about him in the past tense.

Loan watch

Kammonke Willie has seen enough of Hearts of Oak

“I am grateful for the games, but I did not become a footballer to be somebody else's spare part.” He wants to be at Ikorodu City, and 7 appearances in 10 say he has earned the hearing.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Joseph Arumala

“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.

Match

Ikorodu City and Remo Stars cancel each other out

Nil-nil, and few chances worth the name. Remo Stars came to defend and left with exactly what they came for.

Squad

Chineme Chinonso knocks on the manager's door

“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Ikorodu City, and both men came out saying it was fine.

In brief

1 Edition

The Ikorodu City Chronicle

3 Aug 2026
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Market

Preston come back empty-handed

The bid was some way short and Ikorodu City did not need long over it. Nobody in the game reads a first refusal as the end of anything.

Squad

Shodeinde Moses stays put

“The easiest signature of my career.” Shodeinde Moses and Ikorodu City agree another 4 years, and the manager can plan around him rather than about him.

Market

Gift Udoh attracts admirers

The name of Gift Udoh has come up in conversations Ikorodu City were not part of. Nothing formal, nothing signed — but nothing about it accidental either.

Market

The clock runs on Shodeinde Moses's contract

49 months left and silence from upstairs — no offer, no talks, nothing for his people to answer. Clubs that let a calendar do their negotiating usually end up negotiating with the calendar.

Market

Kelechi Onwe told to find a new club

“They were honest with me, and I would rather know.” Kelechi Onwe has been informed he is not in the manager's thinking at Ikorodu City.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Joseph Arumala

“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.

In brief