32 goals in 36 games: Why Nigeria can no longer ignore Joy Omewa
Nigeriaâs conveyor belt of attacking talent has rarely run dry.
From Mercy Akide to Perpetua Nkwocha, from Desire Oparanozie to Asisat Oshoala, the Super Falcons have always had at least one forward capable of bending matches to her will. The question now is whether Joy Omewa is next in line.
If you havenât heard of Omewa yet, donât worry. You soon will.
Nigeria and Fortuna HjĂžrring star Joy Omewa. Photo by IMAGO
The 22-year-old has been quietly terrorising defenders in Denmark with Fortuna HjĂžrring, putting together numbers that would make even the great Oshoala pause.
On Friday evening, she was at it again, scoring twice in Fortunaâs 6â1 dismantling of Kolding IF in the Danish Womenâs League.
Her first was all confidence, a cheeky panenka from the penalty spot in the 62nd minute. Her second was audacity itself: a lob from near the halfway line that left the goalkeeper stranded and the crowd gasping.
Nigeria and Fortuna HjĂžrring star Joy Omewa. Photo by IMAGO
Ten goals in all competitions this season, five consecutive matches scored in, and a brace wrapped up inside four minutes. It was the kind of ruthless, joyful finishing that makes the case for her Super Falcons debut stronger by the week.
Numbers that shout louder than words
To say Omewa is in form is an understatement.
Last season, she plundered 22 goals and four assists in just 24 league matches, dragging Fortuna to both the Danish league title and the Cup.
Nigeria and Fortuna HjĂžrring star Joy Omewa (right) Photo by IMAGO
This campaign, she already has seven goals and an assist in eight league games, plus three more in the UEFA Womenâs Champions League. Thatâs 32 goals in her last 36 competitive matches.
No Nigerian forward in Europe can match that output. Not Oshoala in Saudi Arabia. Not Gift Monday in the United States. Not Esther Okoronkwo in Canada.
Right now, Omewa is statistically the most prolific Nigerian striker in Europe.
Nigeria and Fortuna HjĂžrring star Joy Omewa. Photo by IMAGO
And yet, when the Super Falcons coach Justin Madugu named his squad for Julyâs Womenâs Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), Omewa was nowhere to be found.
Her omission made headlines, though Nigeria went on to win the trophy, sparing Madugu any backlash. But if results had gone differently, that decision would have been difficult to defend.
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The timing could not be better
Football has a way of creating openings at exactly the right time.
On Saturday, Ifeoma Onumonu, one of Nigeriaâs senior forwards, announced her retirement from international football at 31.
Ifeoma Onumonu
She would almost certainly have been part of the squad for this monthâs WAFCON qualifiers against Benin Republic. Instead, her departure has left a vacancy in attack, one that Omewa seems perfectly primed to fill.
Bayern Munich-owned forward Edna Imade is another forward in contention, a talented striker who many view as a long-term heir to Oshoala.
Nigerian striker Edna Imade. Photo Credit: Bayern Munich Comms
But when it comes to form, there is no comparison. Omewa is scoring at a rate that demands attention. Her confidence is unshakable, her finishing clinical, her style unafraid of risk. You donât chip a goalkeeper from 40 yards unless you are brimming with belief.
Nigeria beyond Oshoala
Oshoala remains Nigeriaâs most recognisable attacking star, still banging in goals for fun in Saudi Arabia.
Nigeria Super Falcons star Asisat Oshoala. Photo Credit: Al Hilal / X
But she is now 30, and while she can still influence matches, her peak years are behind her. The Falcons need to start planning for life after their six-time African Womenâs Footballer of the Year.
Imade looks like a long-term project. Omewa, however, feels ready now.
Her ability to score different types of goals â penalties, poacherâs finishes, long-range stunners â makes her an unusually complete striker for her age.
Nigeria and Fortuna HjĂžrring star Joy Omewa. Photo by IMAGO
The former Confluence Queens star is also showing maturity beyond her years: leading the line in Champions League games, thriving under pressure, and proving she can carry a teamâs scoring burden.
Ready for green and white
There is no better time to give her the stage. A brace on Friday, a Champions League goal the week before, and a record that screams consistency; Omewa has done everything she can at club level to earn her chance.
It is no longer about potential; it is about production. Omewa is producing at a level the Super Falcons cannot afford to ignore.
Nigeria and Fortuna HjĂžrring star Joy Omewa. Photo by IMAGO
Onumonuâs retirement has opened a door. Madugu would be wise to walk Omewa through it.
The Falcons have never been shy of trusting young attackers. Oshoala herself was thrown into the deep end a decade ago after the U20 World Cup and never looked back. Omewa deserves that same leap of faith.
Nigeriaâs future in attack is beginning to take shape. Imade might be the long-term successor. But for now, the Falconsâ most urgent need is goals, and nobody is providing them as relentlessly as Joy Omewa.
If there was ever a time to unleash her in green and white, it is now.
