From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
The CEO, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has congratulated the trio of Nigeria’s Super Eagles forward, Victor Osimhen, Asisat Oshoala and Chiamaka Nnadozie for winning 2023 CAF Awards, describing them as great Nigerians Ambassadors.
Nigeria dominated the 2023 Confederation of African Football (CAF) awards held in Morocco on December 11, 2023. Osimhen won the African Men’s Footballer of the Year award, while Oshoala won the African Women’s Footballer of the Year award for a record-extending sixth time. Nnadozie was named the Goalkeeper of the Year, while Nigeria won the Women’s National Team of the Year award.
Morocco’s Walid Regragui was crowned CAF’s Best Coach of the Year in the Men’s category, while South Africa’s Desiree Ellis won the Women’s Coach of the Year award. Morocco’s national team won the Men’s National Team of the Year award.
The awards ceremony was not without controversy, as Algeria boycotted the event over the exclusion of Riyad Mahrez from the Team of the Year nominees. Despite the controversy, the awards celebrated the feats of several African footballers, with the spotlight on Nigerian striker Osimhen.
In a congratulatory statement issued by NIDCOM Director of Media and Public Relations, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, the NIDCOM boss said she was elated that the trio brought fame and honour to the country through their athletic talents.
She said the awards further confirmed that Nigerians in the diaspora are well endowed with talents and resources which rubs off on the global image of the country and contribute immensely to national development.
She therefore urged other youths to use their God-given talents to contribute to the glory of the country as against using such to tarnish the image of their family as well as the country.
Dabiri-Erewa noted with satisfaction the gains brought to the country through the contributions of the award winners in their chosen career of sports, thus encouraging others to emulate such gesture and be good ambassadors of the country.