Rivers United, MTN among nominees for Nigeria pitch awards
PHOTO: Eguavoen (middle), Philips (second right), Olajire (second left), Achor (right) and Olafisoye (left) with the list of nominees
Super Eagles and Italian Serie A goal-king, Victor Osimhen and in-form FC Barcelona Femeni forward Asisat Oshoala top the list of nominees for the ninth edition of the Nigeria pitch awards scheduled to hold in the Federal Capital, Abuja on Friday, 24th March 2023.
Osimhen, record scorer at the FIFA U17 World Cup finals in Chile in 2015 (with 10 goals) continues his goal scoring form in Italy’s Serie A where tops the scorers’ chart this season, and scored four of Nigeria’s 10 goals in the record international win over Sao Tome and Principe last year summer.
There are, in total, eighteen categories of awards for grabs, namely: King of the Pitch; Queen of the Pitch; Striker of the Year; Goalkeeper of the Year; Defender of the Year; Midfielder of the Year; Team of the Year; Coach of the Year; Sam Okwaraji Award; State With The Best Grassroots Football Development Programme; Football Pitch of the Year; Football-Friendly Governor of the Year; Corporate Sponsor of the Year; Sportsmanship Award; Football Journalist of the Year-Print; Football Journalist of the Year-TV; Football Journalist of the Year-Radio and; Football Journalist of the Year-Online.
Presenting the list of nominees to the NFF leadership on Thursday, the president of the Nigeria Pitch Awards Matchmakers Consult International, Mr. Shina Philips expressed appreciation to the NFF for its encouragement of the Awards over the years and assured that the fine canons of transparency and credibility that have taken the Awards this far will never be discountenanced for any reason.
“We are happy with the encouragement and regard that we have continued to receive from the NFF since we started the Awards in 2013. The Federation has always been there and always present at the event. We are bold to say that the Awards will forever retain its integrity, transparency and credibility.”
Responding on behalf of the NFF President, while Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau who joined the presentation on video, wished the organizers the best going forward, NFF Technical Director Augustine Eguavoen assured the Nigeria Pitch Awards organizers, the Federation’s continued support as long as the tenets of integrity and credibility associated with the Awards over the years are sustained.
Also present at the presentation were NFF’s Director of Communications, Ademola Olajire; Head of International, Dayo Enebi Achor and; Chief Operating Officer of the Nigeria Pitch Awards, Mr. Nelson Olafisoye.
- NOMINEES FOR 9TH AWARD CEREMONYGOALKEEPER OF THE YEARVictor Sochima Rivers United FCFrancis Uzoho AC Omonoia Nicosia FCAdebayo Adeleye Hapoel Jerusalem FCDEFENDER OF THE YEARWilliam Troost-Ekong Unione Sportiva Salernitana1919 FCZaidu Sanusi FC PortoCalvin Bassey AFC AjaxMIDFIELDER OF THE YEARAlex Iwobi Everton FCWilfred Ndidi Leicester City F.CJoe Aribo Southampton FCSTRIKER OF THE YEARVictor Osimhen Napoli FCAdemola Lookman Atalanta B.CChijioke Akuneto Rivers United FCQUEEN OF THE PITCHMonday Gift UD Granadilla TenerifeAsisat Oshoala FC Barcelona FemeníRasheedat Ajibade Atlético de MadridFemeninoKING OF THE PITCHAdemola Lookman Atalanta B.C/Paul Onuachu Southampton FCAlex Iwobi Everton FCVictor Osimhen Napoli FCTEAM OF THE YEARRemo StarsRivers UnitedThe Flamingos (Nigeria’s U17 Girls’ Team)COACH OF THE YEARStanley Eguma Rivers UnitedGbenga Ogunbote Shooting Stars FCBankole Olowookere The FlamingosSAM OKWARAJI AWARDVictor Osimhen Super EaglesHon. Kunle Soname Chairman, BET9JABarr. Seyi Akinwunmi Former 1st Vice-President, NFFSTATE WITH THE BEST GRASSROOTS FOOTBALLDEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMEEdo StateLagos StateDelta StateFOOTBALL PITCH OF THE YEARMobolaji Johnson Sport Arena Lagos StateGodswill Akpabio Int’l Stadium Akwa Ibom StateRemo Stars Stadium Ogun StateFOOTBALL FRIENDLY GOVERNOR OF THE YEARHis Excellency, Nyesom Wike CON Rivers StateHis Excellency, Babajide Sanwo-Olu Lagos StateHis Excellency, Godwin Obaseki Edo StateCORPORATE SPONSOR OF FOOTBALL AWARD
- MTN Nigeria TelecomBET9JA Sport BettingCocacola Bottling Co./AITEO Group Oil & GasSPORTSMANSHIP AWARDHis Excellency, Philip Shaibu Deputy Governor, EdoStateHon. Kunle Soname Chairman, BET9JABarr. Seyi Akinwunmi Former 1st Vice-President,NFFFOOTBALL JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR – PRINTTana Aiyejina Punch NewspapersCharles Diya New Telegraph NewspapersJohnny Edward Punch NewspapersFOOTBALL JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR – TVMozez Praiz SupersportPromise Eforgie Television ContinentalCecilia Omoregbe Channels TVFOOTBALL JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR – RADIOYinka Oyedele Sports Radio 88.9 Brila FMEmmanuel Etim Nigeria Info 99.3 FMTony Bekederemo Sports Radio 88.9 Brila FMFOOTBALL JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR – ONLINEKunle Solaja Sportsvillagesquare.comTobi Samuel Adepoju Oganla MediaShina Oludare Goal.
