Nigeria Dominates Glo CAF Award …Mikel Loses Big One To Toure

Nigeria last night dominated the 2013 Glo CAF Award ceremony as achievers in African football in the out gone year, were recognised by the Confederation of African Football, CAF and sponsors, Globacom.
The country’s national football teams, the Super Eagles and Golden Eaglets carted home the awards for the Best National Team and Youth National Team 2013, largely due to their respective triumphs at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa and FIFA Under -17 World Cup in United Arab Emirates, UAE.
The Nigeria Football and Supporters Club also retained the CAF Fair play Award, prize it has dominated since its introduction by the African football body.
Nigeria further dominated the individual categories of the award with Super Eagles Coach, Stephen Keshi dusting other contenders to claim the Coach of the Year award, ahead of Paul Put of Burkina Faso.
Highly talented youngster, who was instrumental to Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets’ success in UAE, Kelechi Iheanacho emerged as the Most Promising talent in 2013. He beat his peers, Ebenezer Esifoa of Ghana and Saleh Gomaa of Egypt to the award.
Nigeria’s President, Goodluck Jonathan was recognised for his contributions to football development within and outside the country with the CAF Platinum Award.
In addition, the country had the distinction of providing four persons to the African First XI in which goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama, John Mikel-Obi, Emmanuel Emenike and Coach Keshi were selected.
However, Nigeria failed to produce the prestigious Africa Footballer of the Year for the fifth time as Cote d’lvoire and Manchester City’s Yaya Toure beat Mikel Obi to the big prize.
Toure emerged the African Best Footballer for 2013, making the third time at a trot he would earn the honour after wining in 2011 and 2012.
He beat Mikel and his compatriot, Didier Drogba to the second and third places, respectively.
Only Samuel Eto’o has won the honour thrice in a row, since 1992 when CAF took over the organisation of the award.
Nigeria has produced four winners, Rashidi Yekini in 1993, Emmanuel Amuneke in 1994, Nwankwo Kanu, 1996, Victor Ukpeba, 1997 and Kanu again in 1999.
Other winners of the 2013 edition include, Al Ahly-Club of the Year, Mohammed Aboutreika, African Footballer of the Year (players in Africa).
Referee of the year, Haimoudi Djamel and CAF Legends 2013, Bruno Metsu and Jose Faria, former coaches of Senegal and Morocco.

Yaya Toure and John Obi Mikel

Nancy Briggs