Expectedly, Nigeria’s Ademola Lookman scooped the Africa Player of the Year award at the 2024 CAF Awards in Marrakech, Morocco on Monday night, less than 33 months after winning his first cap for Nigeria at international level.

The 27-year-old won the FIFA U17 World Cup with England before committing his future to Nigeria, and helped steer the Super Eagles to the runner-up position at the 34^th Africa Cup of Nations finals in Cote d’Ivoire earlier this year. Also, he was key to Italian side Atalanta FC winning the UEFA Europa Cup last season, and this year, has scored 11 goals and notched five assists for the same club in 18 games across all competitions.

Lookman’s triumph was the big cake for Nigeria following goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie’s retention of the Goalkeeper of the Year award, and the Super Falcons again winning the Women’s National Team of the Year award as they did last year.

President of Nigeria Football Federation, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau, MON and Nigeria’s FIFA Council Member, Mr. Amaju Pinnick, OFR were among the distinguished guests at the Palais des Congrés, as FIFA President Gianni Infantino and CAF President Patrice Motsepe handed the glittering marble to effervescent forward Lookman.

Pinnick was particularly joyous. As President of NFF, he made several attempts to get the player to commit to fatherland before the forward capitulated, and eventually won his first cap in the 2022 FIFA World Cup final round, first leg clash with Ghana’s Black Stars in Kumasi on 25^th March 2022, which ended scoreless.  

Gusau, who collected the Women’s National Team of the Year award on behalf of the Falcons, dedicated the prize to Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, and pledged that his administration will continue to support women’s football in all its ramifications.

Nigeria’s five-time Olympian and Olympic bronze-medallist Mary Onyali, former Nigeria international striker Obafemi Martins and 1996 Olympic women’s long jump gold winner Chioma Ajunwa-Oparah were among the stars of the night as they presented awards.

Four Super Falcons, namely Michelle Alozie, Osinachi Ohale, Rasheedat Ajibade and Asisat Oshoala made the CAF Best 11 Women for 2024, while last year’s Player of the Year winner Victor Osimhen and new King Lookman made the Best 11 Men roster.   

The Award Winners:

Men’s Player of the Year: Ademola Lookman (Nigeria)

Women’s Player of the Year Barbra Banda (Zambia)

Men’s Coach of the Year: Emerse Faé (Côte d’Ivoire)

Women’s Coach of the Year: Lamia Boumehdi (TP Mazembe; Moroccan)

Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year: Ronwen Williams (South Africa)

Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year: Chiamaka Nnadozie (Nigeria)

Men’s Interclub Player of the Year: Ronwen Williams (Mamelodi Sundowns/South Africa)

Women’s Interclub Player of the Year: Sanâa Mssoudy (AS FAR/Morocco)

Men’s Young Player of the Year: Lamine Camara (Senegal)

Women’s Young Player of the Year: Doha El Madani (AS FAR/Morocco)

Men’s National Team of the Year: Côte d’Ivoire

Women’s National Team of the Year Super Falcons of Nigeria

Men’s Club of the Year: Al Ahly (Egypt)

Women’s Club of the Year TP Mazembe (DR Congo)

Goal of the Year: Mabululu (Goal for Angola against Namibia)

Best Referee (Women): Bouchra Karboubi (Morocco)

Best Referee (Men): Elvis Guy Nguegoue (Cameroon)

Best 11 Women: Andile Dlamini; Michelle Alozie; Karabo Dhlamini; Osinachi Ohale; Lebohang Ramalepe; Linda Motlhalo; Rasheedat Ajibade; Ghizlane Chebbak; Barbra Banda; Asisat Oshoala; Tabitha Chawingwa

Best 11 Men: Andre Onana; Achraf Hakimi; Khalidou Koulibaly; Chancel Mbemba; Mohammed Kudus; Sofyan Amrabat; Franck Kessie; Yves Bissouma; Mohamed Salah; Victor Osimhen; Ademola Lookman

Outstanding Achievement Award: President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi (Egypt) and; President Paul Biya (Cameroon)

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Italian side, Napoli and Saudi Pro League side, Al Ahli have reached agreement for the signing of Super Eagles striker, Victor Osimhen.

Osimhen, Ostracised from the Napoli squad by coach Antonio Conte has been in the transfer news since July.

With the September 1 transfer deadline close, Napoli and Al Ahli have now reached agreement for Osimhen’s transfer in a deal worth €80 million in packages

Osimhen, though not yet agreed personal terms, is expected to sign a four-year deal worth €30 million in a year. Al Ahli has booked medical for the 24 years old forward.

“Napoli reach total agreement with Al Ahli for Victor Osimhen!

“Club to club deal done for €75/80m total package, Al Ahli have already booked a medical.

“Four year contract worth €25/30m per season net to Osimhen + RELEASE clause,” transfer expert, Fabrizio Romano reported.

Chelsea is also in discussion with Osimhen on a possible move to the Stamford Bridge with a loan offer and option to sign him permanently.

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The Federation International Football Association (FIFA) as the regulating body of football across the world and the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) regulating the famous sport in Nigeria are yet to recognize some of the basic rules /codes that introduces every Nigerian kid to the game.

The game of football is one that knows no bound, as even children at their infant stage, develop interest in the beautiful game. When a child starts walking, he starts kicking every little thing he sees without undergoing training sessions with any coach. This graduates to the stage where the child owns a ball which he could play with his friends.

These children play football not because of the prospect of becoming a professional footballer, but because of the love for the game. However, there are some Unwritten Codes and rules that guide this exercise among the children. They are Unwritten because these rules are not discussed before the game but that does negate its existence.

The First code of the game is that the owner of the ball is automatically both the best player and the referee of the game. He must not be dribbled past, he must not be fouled, when any of these is done, that’s the end of the game because he’ll take his ball and go. Again, the owner of the ball is the one to determine if a play should be foul or not and if you’re fouled but he’s not in good terms with you, it’s no foul.

The next code is that you must be bare footed. Wearing anything on your foot makes you a threat to your fellow players and the common type of injury sustained at this level is kicking of stone instead of the ball, and it is called “Lighting of Matches” which does not stop the victim from continuing with the game.

In addition to this, there’s no time frame for the game to end, it’s either  the owner of the ball is summoned by his parents or light fades. Interestingly, the children play for hours without getting tired, and they make sure they’re done with their daily chores before the game begins.

In a case where the owner of the ball has not done his chores, the whole players will match to his house to help wash the dishes, sweep the compound or even do laundry, just to make sure his parents or older siblings do not interrupt the game.

Before the game starts, the team selection must be done by the owner of the ball, knowing that the owner of the ball is usually not a good player, he must be the one to do the team selection where the best players must be in his team, woe betide you if you had done something to upset him before the game or even days before, what it means is that you’ve become a spectator for that game until he forgives you.

The venue for the game must be at a junction (usually three corners) and whenever a vehicle is passing or an elderly person is passing, the game must be paused. Football at this stage is not seen just as a medium of entertainment but also a good avenue for recreation and bonding of children with their peers. This is seen when the ball enters into someone’s compound, all the players must line up on their knees begging for the ball to be released and might even offer to perform some house chores for the person, to appease him or her to release the ball.

The game of football is most beautiful at this stage because of its free and down to earth nature, the children engage each other in the game not because they’re receiving  10 pounds a week salary, but because of the love for the game and the fulfilment that comes from playing the game. So, besides the UEFA Champions league, English Premier League and even the Nigeria Premier Football league (NPFL) there is the street football league where most of the famous footballers of today kicked the ball for the first time and it should not be side-lined or undermined.

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In an unprecedented turn of events, two Nigerian players, Victor Osimhen and Asisat Oshoala on Monday won the 2023 Africa Footballers of the Year Awards in Morocco.

It was a historical moment , the first time ever two players from the same country are holding both men and women Africa Footballers of the Year awards, Osimhen and Oshoala won both award on Monday night.

Victor Osimhen who won the 2023 Italian Serie A league with Napoli, was voted the 2023 Africa Footballer of the Year.

It is the first time Nigeria is winning the award since Kanu Nwankwo last did in 1999.

Oshoala, who plies her trade with Barcelona Feminine team in Spain, won the Africa Women’s Footballer of the Year Award after helping her team to win both the league and continental double last time.

She became the first woman ever in history to win the award SIX TIMES with the last three coming consecutively.

Also, Super Falcons goalkeeper, Chiamaka Nnadozie won the Best Goalkeeper Award while the Super Falcons won the Best Women National Team of the year.

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