Super Eagles and Leicester City FC midfield sensation, Wilfred Ndidi and Super Falcons and FC Barcelona Femeni hit woman, Asisat Oshoala emerged the Kingand the Queen of the Pitch for year 2019 respectively at the 7th edition of the nNigeria Pitch Awards.
Making the announcement on Tuesday 22 December 2020 at the Ibis HotelIkeja, organizers noted that the 7th Award Ceremony initially scheduled to holdin March 2020 was put off in line with the guidelines of the COVID-19 Protocolas outlined by the Presidential Task Force set up by the Federal Government.
Mr Demola Olajire, NFF Communications Director reiterated the Federation’ssupport for the awards stressing that the organizers have been resilient andcommitted to holding the event year after year.
Highlights include the appearance of two top Nollywood celebrities ChiomaOmeruwa popularly known as Chigul and Segun Arinze. The maiden SportsmanshipAward was presented to the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar Adamufor his use of sports in the fight against crime and his sportsman’s attributesin the discharge of his duties as Nigeria’s Police Chief.
Daniel Akpeyi of Kaizer Chiefs and Watford defender, WilliamTroost-Ekong emerged Goalkeeper and Defender of the Year in their differentcategories. Wilfred Ndidi confirmed his position as the Super Eagles’ midfield maestroby dusting off competition from Joe Aribo of Rangers FC and Oghenekaro Etebo ofStoke City FC to retain the Midfielder of the Year award.
In the Striker of the Year Category, Super Eagles and Napoli FC striker,Victor Osimhen starved off competition from Odion Ighalo of Manchester United andSamuel Chukwueze of Villarreal FC. Barrister Seyi Akinwunmi, NFF First VicePresident won the Sam Okwaraji Award for Commitment to Nigeria Football; GernotRohr emerged 2019 Coach of the Year; Enyimba International emerged Team of theYear and AITEO Group carted home the coveted Corporate Sponsor of FootballAward for 2019.
Delta State Governor, His Excellency Ifeanyi Okowa won the FootballFriendly Governor for the second year while Lagos State emerged winner of theState with the Best Grassroots Football Development Programme.
In the media category, Johnny Edwards of The Punch won the FootballJournalist of the Year – Print category while Olawale Adigun of Top Radio FMemerged winner of the Radio category. In the TV and Online categories, ChannelsTV Sports Editor Austin Okon-Akpan and Goal.com Samuel Ahmadu won respectively.
Voting on the platform of the Nigeria Pitch Awards is done by over 100sports editors and journalists across the 36 states of the country. Votes castare collated and audited by a professional accounting body.
NIGERIA PITCH AWARDS
2019 Winners
GOALKEEPEROF THE YEAR
DanielAkpeyi Kaizer Chiefs FC
DEFENDEROF THE YEAR
WilliamTroost Ekong Watford FC
MIDFIELDEROF THE YEAR
WilfredNdidi Leicester City F.C
STRIKEROF THE YEAR
VictorOsimhen Napoli FC
QUEENOF THE PITCH
AsisatOshoala FC Barcelona Femení
KINGOF THE PITCH
WilfredNdidi Leicester City F.C
TEAMOF THE YEAR
EnyimbaInternational FC
COACHOF THE YEAR
GernotRohr Super Eagles
SAMOKWARAJI AWARD
Barr. Seyi Akinwunmi Ist Vice President, NFF
STATEWITH THE BEST GRASSROOTS FOOTBALL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME
Lagos State
FOOTBALLFRIENDLY GOVERNOR OF THE YEAR
HisExcellency, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa DeltaState
CORPORATESPONSOR OF FOOTBALL AWARD
AITEOGroup
FOOTBALLJOURNALIST OF THE YEAR – PRINT
Johnny Edward PunchNewspapers
FOOTBALLJOURNALIST OF THE YEAR – TV
AustinOkon-Apkan Channels TV
FOOTBALLJOURNALIST OF THE YEAR – RADIO
Olawale Adigun TopRadio 90.9 FM
FOOTBALLJOURNALIST OF THE YEAR – ONLINE
