Nigeria Pitch Awards Organizers Set to Announce Nominees On 5 January

OKAFOR MOSES CHINEDU

Organizers of the prestigious Nigeria Pitch Awards are set to unveil the nominees for the 8th edition of the awards on Wednesday 5th January 2022 at the Ibis Hotel in Ikeja, Lagos.

In a statement released in Lagos, Shina Philips, the President of the Nigeria Pitch Awards stated that organizers ‘will continue to abide by our core principles of transparency, credibility and integrity as we work assiduously to sustain the longest-running football awards in the nation’s history.  

Philips noted that in spite of the harsh economic conditions in the country, organizers have remained focused on sustaining the awards in order to ensure that Nigerian footballers, administrators and officials are recognized, honoured and motivated as they continue to make sacrifices to enhance the nation’s football.

Meanwhile, organizers have commended Mr. Amaju Melvin Pinnick, President of the Nigeria Football Federation and other board members for taking the bold step of relieving Gernot Rohr of his duties after the Franco-German Coach fell short of Nigerians’ expectations.

‘The NFF has displayed exceptional courage by parting ways with Gernot Rohr. We are also pleased that the Federation has acted swiftly by appointing a Nigerian Ex-international, Austin Eguavoen as Interim Coach and the Portuguese Tactician, Jose Peseiro as manager on a permanent basis’, Philips concluded.

On the Pitch Award platform, award decisions are made by a College of Voters comprising over 150 sports editors and journalists across the 36 states of the Federation and the FCT. Votes are collated and audited by SIAO Partners, Nigeria’s foremost indigenous accounting firm.   

It will be recalled that voting for the 8th edition was concluded in November 2021.

The NFF Director of Communications, Mr. Demola Olajire and Pastor Ituah Ighodalo, Managing Partner, SIAO Partners are among guests expected at the unveiling of the 8th edition nominees.