Nigeria Pitch Awards Holds 28 May In Port Harcourt

L-R: Mr. Nelson Olafisoye, COO Matchmakers International, Shina Philips, initiator of Nigeria Pitch Awards, Pastor Ituah Ighodalo, Managing Partner, SIAO, Kenneth Omeruo holding the award he won at 3rd edition,  and Patrick Aghambu,  President Security Watch. 

Organizers of the prestigious Nigeria Pitch Awards have announced the date and venue for the 2017/18 award ceremony.

Shina Philips, initiator of the awards told PM EXPRESS in a chat in Lagos on Monday  that the Award Ceremony will hold on Monday 28 May at the Le Meridien Ogeyi Place in the Garden City of Port Harcourt Rivers State.

Philips said after deliberations, the committee agreed that Port Harcourt was the best venue for the 5th award ceremony of the Nigeria Pitch Awards.

“The committee had a long and serious deliberation and finally decided that Port Harcourt would be the best location for the 5th edition of the awards,” Philips said. “The Garden City has been a centre of sporting activities for a long time and a home for the Super Eagles,” he said. .

Mr Philips thanked all the voters and members of the Nigerian media for their support for the Nigeria Pitch Awards. “Sports Editors and journalists have been our voters for the last 5 editions and they have done this conscientiously without receiving any form of wages,” Philips said

Three Super Eagles players, Victor Moses of Chelsea FC, Wilfred Ndidi of Leicester FC and John Mikel Obi of Tiajin Teda will be battling for the top prize at the award ceremony. Nominees for other categories are:

GOALKEEPER OF THE YEAR
1. Carl Ikeme Wolverhampton Wanderers
2. Ikechukwu Ezenwa Ifeanyi Ubah FC
3. Dele Ajiboye Plateau United FC

DEFENDER OF THE YEAR
1. Leon Balogun FSV Mainz 05
2. William Troost-Ekong Bursapor FC
3. Shehu Abdullahi Anothosis Famagusta FC

MIDFIELDER OF THE YEAR
1. John Mikel Obi Tianjin Teda
2. Wilfred Ndidi Leicester City FC
3. Victor Moses Chelsea FC

STRIKER OF THE YEAR
1. Victor Moses Chelsea FC
2. Anthony Okpotu Lobi Stars FC
3. Odion Ighalo Changchun Yatai

MVP (MEN) IN THE NPFL
1. Ikechukwu Ezenwa Ifeanyi Ubah FC
2. Stephen Odey MFM FC/FC Zurich
3. Anthony Okpotu Lobi Stars FC

MVP (WOMEN) IN THE NWFL
1. Charity Rueben Ibom Angels
2. Rasheedat Ajibade FC Robo
3. Amarachi Okonkwo Nasarawa Amazons

COACH OF THE YEAR
1. Fidelis Elechukwu MFM FC
2. Gernot Rohr Super Eagles
3. Kennedy Boboye Plateau United

CLUB/TEAM OF THE YEAR
1. Super Eagles
2. Plateau United FC
3. MFM FC

REFEREE OF THE YEAR
1. Ferdinand Udoh
2. Adebimpe Quadri
3. Ogabor Joseph

STATE WITH THE BEST GRASSROOTS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME
1. Lagos State
2. Rivers State
3. Delta State

FOOTBALL FRIENDLY GOVERNOR OF THE YEAR
1. His Excellency Godwin Obaseki Edo State
2. His Excellency Emmanuel Udom Akwa Ibom State
3. His Excellency Akinwunmi Ambode Lagos State

SAM OKWARAJI AWARD FOR COMMITMENT TO NIGERIAN FOOTBALL
1. Shehu Dikko 2nd Vice President, NFF
2. Amaju Melvin Pinnick President, NFF
3. Chief Ifeanyi Ubah Chairman, Ifeanyi Ubah FC

CORPORATE SPONSOR OF FOOTBALL AWARD
1. Aiteo Group
2. Nigerian Breweries plc
3. Coca Cola plc

FOOTBALL JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR (PRINT)
1. Johnny Edwards Complete Sports
2. Tana Aiyejina Punch Newspapers
3. Olalekan Okusan The Nation Newspapers

FOOTBALL JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR (RADIO)
1. Godwin Enakhena Top Radio FM
2. Olawale Adigun Top Radio FM
3. Tony Bekederemo Brila FM

FOOTBALL JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR (TV)
1. Austin Okon-Akpan Channels TV
2. Godwin Enakhena LTV/SportsSplash
3. Mozez Praiz Supersport

QUEEN OF THE PITCH
1. Rasheedat Ajibade FC Robo
2. Reuben Charity Ibom Angels
3. Asisat Oshoala Dalian Quanjian