Aniekeme Okon
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Aniekeme Asuquo Okon[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 5 August 1999 | ||
| Place of birth | Anua, Uyo, Akwa Ibom, Nigeria | ||
| Height | 1.64 m (5 ft 5 in) | ||
| Positions | |||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Rivers United | ||
| Number | 11 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Greater Tomorrow Academy | |||
| Ibom Youths | |||
| 2016–2018 | Akwa Starlets | ||
| 2016 | → Delta Force (loan) | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2018–2020 | Akwa United | 28 | (0) |
| 2020 | Altay | 0 | (0) |
| 2020–2021 | Kano Pillars | 14 | (0) |
| 2021–2022 | One Rocket | 0 | (0) |
| 2021–2022 | → Kano Pillars (loan) | 17 | (0) |
| 2022–2024 | Remo Stars | 31 | (5) |
| 2024– | Rivers United | 62 | (8) |
| International career | |||
| 2019 | Nigeria U20 | 7 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 19:01, 21 November 2021 (UTC) | |||
Aniekeme Asuquo Okon (born 5 August 1999) is a Nigerian footballer who plays as a forward for Rivers United.
Club career
Okon started his career at the Greater Tomorrow Academy, before representing Ibom Youths and Akwa Starlets.[2] He later joined Akwa United.[2] Following his performances at the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup for Nigeria, Okon was linked with a move to United States club D.C. United, though Akwa United chairman Paul Bassey dispelled these links, stating "Okon is our player. Nobody has spoken to me."[3] However, in May 2020, he left Akwa for Turkish TFF 1. Lig club Altay, signing a two-and-a-half year deal.[4]
Having returned to Nigeria the same year without making an appearance for Altay, Okon spent time with Kano Pillars, also registering with lower-league club One Rocket, before a move to Remo Stars in August 2022.[5] Okon helped the club to qualify for the CAF Champions League for the first time in their history, but could not prevent his team from losing on penalties to Ghanaian club Medeama in the first round.[6] After scoring against former club Akwa United in Remo Stars' 3–2 loss on 19 November 2023, Okon notably did not celebrate, stating that doing so "would have been disrespectful."[2]
In July 2024, after two years with Remo Stars, Okon joined fellow NPSL club Rivers United.[7] Later in the same year, his performances drew the attention of English EFL League One club Wigan Athletic.[8] In contrast to his actions in not celebrating a goal against his former club Akwa United, Okon did celebrate when scoring for Rivers United against Remo Stars on 22 August 2025 in their 1–1 draw. After the game he stated that he did not initially want to celebrate, but given it was the first goal of the season, he chose to celebrate as he was "part of that history."[9]
International career
Okon has represented Nigeria at under-20 level, featuring at the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup.[10]
Career statistics
Club
- As of 5 July 2026.[11]
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Akwa United | 2018 | NPFL | 16 | 0 | – | 4[a] | 1 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 1 | |
| 2019 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||||
| 2019–20 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | ||
| Total | 28 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 1 | ||
| Altay | 2019–20 | TFF 1. Lig | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Kano Pillars | 2020–21 | NPFL | 14 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | |
| Kano Pillars (loan) | 2021–22 | 17 | 0 | – | – | 0 | 0 | 17 | 0 | |||
| Total | 31 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 0 | ||
| Remo Stars | 2022–23 | NPFL | 7 | 1 | – | 2[a] | 0 | 4[b] | 0 | 13 | 1 | |
| 2023–24 | 24 | 4 | – | 1[c] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 4 | |||
| Total | 31 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 5 | ||
| Rivers United | 2024–25 | NPFL | 31 | 3 | – | – | 0 | 0 | 31 | 3 | ||
| 2025–26 | 31 | 5 | – | 8[c] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 39 | 5 | |||
| Total | 62 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 70 | 8 | ||
| Career total | 152 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 169 | 14 | ||
- Notes
- 1 2 Appearances in the CAF Confederation Cup
- ↑ Appearances in the NPFL playoffs
- 1 2 Appearances in the CAF Champions League
References
- ↑ "FIFA U-20 World Cup Poland 2019: List of Players: Nigeria" (PDF). FIFA. 13 June 2019. p. 12. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 February 2020.
- 1 2 3 Akpan, Nsikakabasi (22 November 2023). "Why I did not celebrate my goal vs Akwa United FC – Aniekeme Okon". Sports Ration. Retrieved 5 July 2026.
- ↑ "DC United pursue Akwa United's Aniekeme Okon". Sporting Tribune. 14 June 2019. Retrieved 5 July 2026.
- ↑ "Ani̇ekeme Okon Büyük Altayimiz'da" [Aniekeme Okon Joins Our Great Altay]. Altay S.K. (in Turkish). 14 May 2020. Retrieved 5 July 2026.
- ↑ "Nigeria: L'international Aniekeme Okon passe à Remo Stars" [Nigeria: International player Aniekeme Okon joins Remo Stars]. All Africa (in French). 19 August 2022. Retrieved 5 July 2026.
- ↑ Olaleye, Oluwadamilola (28 August 2023). "TotalEnergies CAF Champions League – "We Were Unlucky", Aniekeme Okon Bemoans Remo Stars Early Exit". Sports 247. Retrieved 5 July 2026.
- ↑ Akpan, Nsikakabasi (29 July 2024). "Ex-Flying Eagles star Aniekeme Okon joins Rivers United". Sports Ration. Retrieved 5 July 2026.
- ↑ "Wigan prend contact avec Rivers United pour Aniekeme Okon" [Wigan make contact with Rivers United regarding Aniekeme Okon]. Africa Foot (in French). 18 December 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2026.
- ↑ Adebayo, Olusola (23 August 2025). "Remo Stars 1-1 Rivers United: Aniekeme Okon Explains Celebration Against Former Club After Historic NPFL Goal". Sports 247. Retrieved 5 July 2026.
- ↑ Aniekeme Okon at WorldFootball.net
- ↑ Aniekeme Okon at Soccerway
- 1999 births
- Living people
- People from Uyo
- Footballers from Akwa Ibom State
- Nigerian men's footballers
- Nigeria men's youth international footballers
- Nigerian expatriate men's footballers
- Men's association football forwards
- Akwa United F.C. players
- Altay S.K. footballers
- Kano Pillars F.C. players
- Remo Stars F.C. players
- Rivers United F.C. players
- Nigeria Professional Football League players
- Nigerian expatriate sportspeople in Turkey
- Expatriate men's footballers in Turkey
- Nigeria men's under-20 international footballers
- 21st-century Nigerian sportsmen