The Winners Are…, As 2018 Nigeria Pitch Awards Holds Today

L-R: Shina Philips, initiator of  Nigeria Pitch Awards, John Momoh, Chairman, Channels TV and Nelson Olafisoye, Vice-President Nigeria Pitch Awards

The city of Port Harcourt, Rivers State will be agog today, Monday, 28 May for two important events, the Super Eagles are in town for their pre-World Cup international friendly match against Congo DR, and secondly the country’s most prestigious and widely respected awards ceremony will go down.

The D-day is here and the stage is already set at the Le Meridien Ogeyi Palace, Port Harcourt where the creme de la creme of Nigerian society will converge to celebrate the country’s stars in Nigerian football.

The Nigerian Pitch Awards is unique in its packaging as it is different from others. The voting is not by selected panelists but thrown open in a transparent system that the results couldn’t not be pre determined. That is the reason when the winners are being announced tonight, it is sure bet that those whose names were called unto the podium, truly deserved the prizes.

The nominees for various categories of awards cut across, from players on the field of play, referees to the administrators and even the sporting press are not left out as those who measured up will be recognized through the voting process.

Many people will be at the awards including former Nigeria’s skipper, Nwankwo Kanu. While declaring his support for the awards and the organisers, the former Arsenal of England player said: “This Pitch Awards is a credible and prestigious award in Nigeria and I, Kanu is going to be there [on Monday] to be part of the event.

“And I call on all Nigerians to be a part of this because this is what we the footballers or whosoever in sports have to appreciate.” He said in a short video made to Goal.com.

Initiator of the Nigeria Pitch Awards, Mr Shina Philips told PM EXPRESS early on Monday that every logistics to ensure a smooth ceremony has been put in place, adding that this year’s awards promises to be a glamorous and unique event.

The Nigeria Pitch Awards, which enters its fifth edition this year, is being put together by the SIAO Partners, Nigeria’s foremost accounting firm. SIAO Partners is an independent vote collation body.

“The Nigeria Pitch Awards is a platform for recognizing, rewarding and celebrating talented and industrious footballers and other stakeholders in Nigeria football. We are proud of the standard set and the high quality of award winners,” said Philips who promised that this year’s edition will be better than previous editions, ” Philips said.

NOMINEES AT A GLANCE

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