Super Eagles forward Ahmed Musa, Tuesday night, carted home the Player of the Year at the Aiteo NFF Awards held on Monday, April 1 at Eko Hotels and Suites.
Super Falcons defender, Onome Ebi took home the prize for the Women’s Player of the Year at the second edition of the annual awards’ ceremony.
Musa won the big award of the night after playing a huge part in Nigeria’s biggest football moment of 2018.
The 26-year-old netted a brace to give Nigeria a 2-0 win over Iceland in the second group game of the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia to give them a chance to progress to the next round although they failed to do so.
With that brace, he became Nigeria’s highest goalscorer at the World Cup with four goals.
The Al-Nassr forward beat Odion Ighalo and to win the biggest award of the night but he was not around to pick up his plaque due to club engagements.
The first of the brace against Iceland was Alex Iwobi also named Goal of the Year at the NFF Awards.
Veteran defender Ebi was solid at the back to help the Super Falcons retain the Africa Women’s Cup of Nations (AWCON) title.
Her performances at the tournament in Ghana ensured she was the only on field Nigerian player to make the Team of the Tournament.
She beat her teammates Asisat Oshoala and Francisca Ordega to win the award and was present to pick up her trophy.
Several winners also emerged from the awards night that had all the big wigs of Nigerian football in attendance.
Villarreal forward Samuel Chukwueze was named Men’s Young Player of the Year following his breakout season in Spain. He beat Henry Onyekuru and Victor Osimhen for the awards.
Nasarawa Amazons star Anam Imo beat off competition from Rashidat Ajibade and Chiamaka Nanadozie to win Women’s Young Player of the Year. Imo was impressive for the Amazons who got to the final of the 2018 Nigeria Women Premier League (NWPL) Super 4 tournament.
Super Falcons boss Thomas Dennerby picked the Women’s Coach of the Year beating Moses Aduku of Bayelsa Queens and Wemimo Matthew of Sunshine Queens.
Dennery led the Super Falcons of Nigeria to their ninth AWCON title with their triumph in Ghana 2018.
It was Enugu Rangers International coach Gbenga Ogunbote who won the Men’s Coach of the Year after leading the People’s Antelope to the 2018 Federation’s Cup title in a thrilling final in October 2018 when they came back from three goals down to win the game against Kano Pillars on penalties.
Ogunbote beat Super Eagles boss Gernot Rohr and Solomon Ogbaide of Lobi Stars to win the award.
Kano Pillars fans were voted Fans of the Year while the Super Falcons won Team of the Year after their 2018 AWCON triumph.
The biggest moment of the night was for the Super Eagles class of 1994 who were honoured with special trophies.
A slew of the former Super Eagles stars like Daniel Amokachi, Austin Eguavoen, Sunday Oliseh, Ben Iroha, Uche Okechukwu, Peter Rufai etc where present.
