NIGERIA

Remo Stars took advantage of a slip by Rivers United to reclaim their position at the top of the NPFL. First half goals from Peter Onuoha and Franck Mawuena handed the Sky Blue Stars a 2-0 home win over El Kanemi Warriors in Ikenne on Sunday.

Stars moved to 29 points and have a one goal better goal difference than Rivers United, who lost away to Enugu Rangers on Saturday.

The 15th minute goal from Collins Ugwueze pushed Rangers into third spot on 27 points, two points behind the leaders, and meant Ikorodu City dropped down to fourth after they had been beaten 1-0 away at Bayelsa United.

Shooting Stars were the only away winners on the weekend and are also in touch with the frontrunners as they sit on 24 points follow the 1-0 win over Sunshine Stars on Saturday.

MOROCCO

With Morocco’s three continental club competition representatives competing in either the CAF Champions League or CAF Confederation Cup this weekend, Renaissance Zemamra used the opportunity to move into second spot in the Botola Pro 1 with a 2-0 home win over Moghreb Tetouan on Sunday. It was not unexpected with Tetouan struggling this season and flirting with the relegation zone.

Zemamra are on 23 points, still four behind leaders RS Berkane who have a game in hand and will play that on Thursday at home to CODM Meknes.

Maghreb Fes are in third courtesy of a 2-0 win at JS Soualem in Berrechid on Sunday with an early goal from Botswana international Kabelo Seakanyeng and then a late addition from centre forward Mohamed El Badaoui.

Chabab Mohammedia, who lost nine of their opening 10 matches at the start of the season, have now drawn two in a row after a 1-1 stalemate at Ittihad Tanger on Sunday. But they are still adrift at the bottom of the table with a paltry three points.

LESOTHO

Lesotho Mounted Police Service lost their 10-match unbeaten start from the start of the Premier League season, and dropped from top of the standings to third, as Bantu handed them an emphatic 4-2 beating at Maseru’s Bambatha Stadium on Sunday.

Hlompho Kalake scored twice as Bantu came back from conceding early.

That allowed Matlama to end the weekend’s round of matches in first place after Freddie Hlalele’s first half header handed them a 1-0 victory over Lioli, who pipped them to the title last season.

Matlama have already lost twice this season but won their other eight matches and now have 24 points, two more than LMPS who have played one match more.

Bantu went second above LMPS on goal difference only while champions Lioli dropped down to fourth as they remained on 20 points.

In the battle of the two bottom placed teams, Mzamane ended their 10-match losing streak, picked up their first points and kept a first clean sheet in a 1-0 win over ACE Maseru, who are still without a victory but do have three points from previous draws.

CAMEROON

The new Elite One season got underway at the weekend, beginning on Sunday with a derby in Melong where Stade Renard, who were third last season, played out a goalless draw with newly promoted visitors Aigle Royal de Moungo. Cameroon Football Federation president Samuel Eto’o made the symbolic kick off.

A 3-0 win for champions Victoria United at home in Limbe to Yong Sports Academy from Bamenda highlighted a busy Sunday programme of seven matches but the real action came in the Douala derby where Union edged Les Astres 4-3. There were seven different scorers in the game.

For Victoria United, young striker Fredex Songue scored a double to take the early lead in the top goalscorer charts.

UGANDA

Vipers are the new leaders in the Premier League as they won 2-1 away at Bright Stars in Wakiso on Saturday, going one point clear of National Enterprise Corporation.

The six-time champions used their first-half dominance to go ahead through Gusto Mulongo and Allan Okello, and leave Stars to get a consolation goal from Warren Bule.

On Friday, Fred Amaku and Jude Ssemugabi both scored a double as struggling Kitara handed Mbale Heroes a 6-0 hiding to move out of the relegation places.

-CAF

Nigeria’s Favour Ofili will be the centre of attraction tonight as she attempts to show the world what they could have seen if she had taken part in the 100m women’s race at the Paris 2024.

She has the winner of the race, Julien Alfred of Saint Lucia to beat and make a bold statement.  Both clashed in the first semi-finals of the race on Monday night where Alfred took first over Ofili. The time difference between the two was just 0.07 seconds. Alfred ran 21.98 seconds while Ofili returned after 22.05.

But a semi-final race is not the same as the final race as both may have just ran the earlier one for qualification reserving energy for the big race.

Also lined up are McKenzie Long, Brittany Brown and Gabrielle Thomas of the United States,  Dina Asher-Smith and Daryll Neita (both British), Jessika Gbai of Cote d’Ivoire,

The morning session on Saturday (Day 3 of Athletics) ended with drama in the decathlon as Canada’s defending champion Damian Warner and Norway’s Sander Skotheim were both unable to register a mark in the pole vault.

An Olympic decathlon best of 53.91m in the discus had lifted Grenada’s Lindon Victor to within one place of a medal after seven events, with Germany’s overnight leader Leo Neugebauer remaining in pole position ahead of Warner and Skotheim after that discipline.

But the medal dreams of Warner and Skotheim were dashed following the pole vault, as they failed to clear their opening heights.

US sprinters Kenny Bednarek, the Tokyo 200m silver medallist, and Fred Kerley, the 2022 world champion, were top qualifiers in the men’s 100m heats as they both clocked 9.97.

The key challengers, including Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson who leads this year’s 100m world list with 9.77, plus USA’s world champion Noah Lyles and defending champion Marcell Jacobs of Italy, also all progressed.

Meanwhile, the first of the newly created repechage rounds, in the women’s 800m, created races of huge excitement, with home athlete Anais Bourgoin generating ear-splitting noise from another packed morning session crowd as she progressed to tomorrow’s semifinals.

Warner, Canada’s defending champion in the decathlon, got his second day of competition off to a successful start as he produced the fastest 110m hurdles time of 13.62, with Ken Mullings of The Bahamas registering 13.70 and France’s Makenson Gletty, massively encouraged by the buzzing crowd, clocking the third best effort of 13.96.

That bunch of 1024 points moved Warner, fourth at the end of the first day, into the lead on 5585, 14 points clear of Puerto Rico’s Ayden Owens-Delerme, with Neugebauer, who leads this year’s world list with 8961, staying in touch in third place on 5560, one place ahead of Norway’s European silver medallist Skotheim on 5543.

Victor’s was the winning flourish in the discus. But Neugebauer, who holds the decathlon world best in the discus of 57.70m, did enough with a second-place 53.33 to retain gold-medal position with 6500 points, 72 ahead of Warner, with Skotheim third on 6326 and Victor fourth on 6311.

But it was all change after the pole vault, as first Skotheim failed all his three attempts at his opening height of 4.50m and then Warner did the same at his opening height of 4.60m. Neugebauer cleared 5.00m and Victor 4.90m, but there were PBs for Estonia’s Janek Oiglane and Norway’s Markus Rooth, who both managed 5.30m.

That took Rooth to 7271 points and he finished the session in second place, behind Neugebauer on 7410 and ahead of Victor on 7191, with only the javelin and 1500m to go.

Morocco dominated from the start to prevail in their first-ever Olympic knockout match and set up a clash with Spain, who claimed a 3-0 win over Japan.

A Fermin Lopez double, who scored in the 11th and 73rd, and an Abel Ruiz effort in the 86th sealed the win for La Roja, who three years ago beat Japan in the semi-finals at the Tokyo Olympics.

Morocco, backed by their passionate supporters who packed the Paris St Germain stadium, opened the scoring in the 29th minute when Soufiane Rahimi earned them a penalty and converted for his fifth goal of the tournament.

Ilias Akhomach doubled their lead with a close-range finish from Abde Ezzalzouli’s cross in a brilliant team move just past the hour mark before PSG’s Achraf Hakimi got on the scoresheet after a fine solo run to make it 3-0 20 minutes from time.

“I felt like I was playing at home in this stadium where I play for my club, but also because our fans were very loud and were here in big numbers,” 25-year-old defender Hakimi told reporters.

“It was an almost perfect game, a very resounding result. The work from the team was superb, we had motivation and after the first goal we were able to find more.

“Fans have been following us all tournament, I hope they can follow us all the way to the final. We want to make them proud.”

Substitute Mehdi Maouhoub sealed the rout with another penalty in stoppage time following a VAR review for a handball.

The U.S., playing in their first Olympic quarter-final for 24 years, were better for a short spell after the break but did not look dangerous and had only one goal attempt in the match.

“We have always aimed for gold here,” forward Akhomach, 20, said. “That’s our mission since we arrived here. And we are going to leave everything on the pitch to achieve that.

“It feels great to know we have two more games guaranteed now but we only think about the gold medal.”

-Reuters

The NFF supremo was personally present at the Hotel Movenpick and collected the first honour that came Nigeria’s way – Women’s National Team of the Year.

He dedicated the award to all women football teams on the African continent.

Chiamaka Nnadozie, who shone brightly at the FIFA World Cup finals in Down Under this year summer as the Super Falcons reached the Round of 16, was the undoubted winner of the honour of Goalkeeper of the Year (Women)

The Paris FC of France safe hands made a moving speech: “To all the young girls growing up in Africa, dreaming of becoming a footballer one day, believe me dreams do come true. My dad didn’t want me to play football but I’m sure he’s gonna see this and be happy. So, keep dreaming, keep working and I believe that one day you’ll get to this stage.”

After Asisat Oshoala won a record-extending sixth award as Player of the Year (Women) the auditorium went silent as it was time to present the men’s version. Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen, Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi and Egypt’s Mohamed Salah were the final three.

Osimhen was crowned, becoming the first Nigeria player in 24 years to take the gong. The last person was Nwankwo Kanu, back in 1999. Kanu also won in 1996, after Rashidi Yekini in 1993 and Emmanuel Amuneke in 1994. Victor Ikpeba took the crown in 1997.

Gusau said: “I am very excited tonight. This has been hugely rewarding for our football and for our country as a whole. I congratulate Osimhen, Oshoala and Nnadozie, and I congratulate the Super Falcons as a team for bringing us this honour.

“My charge would be that they all keep doing what they know how to do best, keep improving and keep winning. The sky will be the beginning for them.”

Osimhen became the first player in the history of the African Football Awards to have been crowned Player of the Year (Men) after having pocketed the Young Player of the Year (Men) in an earlier year. Only last Monday, the 24-year-old was crowned the 2022/2023 Player of the Year in Italy’s Serie A, after having won the Young Player of the Year in the same league in the 2021/2022 season.

The NFF supremo was personally present at the Hotel Movenpick and collected the first honour that came Nigeria’s way – Women’s National Team of the Year<span.

He dedicated the award to all women football teams on the African continent.

Chiamaka Nnadozie, who shone brightly at the FIFA World Cup finals in Down Under this year summer as the Super Falcons reached the Round of 16, was the undoubted winner of the honour of Goalkeeper of the Year (Women).The Paris FC of France safe hands made a moving speech: “To all the young girls growing up in Africa, dreaming of becoming a footballer one day, believe me dreams do come true. My dad didn’t want me to play football but I’m sure he’s gonna see this and be happy. So, keep dreaming, keep working and I believe that one day you’ll get to this stage.”

After Asisat Oshoala won a record-extending sixth award as Player of the Year (Women)<span;>, the auditorium went silent as it was time to present the men’s version. Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen, Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi and Egypt’s Mohamed Salah were the final three.

Osimhen was crowned, becoming the first Nigeria player in 24 years to take the gong. The last person was Nwankwo Kanu, back in 1999. Kanu also won in 1996, after Rashidi Yekini in 1993 and Emmanuel Amuneke in 1994. Victor Ikpeba took the crown in 1997.

Gusau said: “I am very excited tonight. This has been hugely rewarding for our football and for our country as a whole. I congratulate Osimhen, Oshoala and Nnadozie, and I congratulate the Super Falcons as a team for bringing us this honour.

My charge would be that they all keep doing what they know how to do best, keep improving and keep winning. The sky will be the beginning for them.”

Osimhen became the first player in the history of the African Football Awards to have been crowned Player of the Year (Men) after having pocketed the Young Player of the Year (Men) in an earlier year. Only last Monday, the 24-year-old was crowned the 2022/2023 Player of the Year in Italy’s Serie A, after having won the Young Player of the Year in the same league in the 2021/2022 season.

The star man of the day, Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen has finally landed in the Atlas Mountain city of Marrakech which is hosting the 2023 CAF Awards.

Dressed in sky blue shirts over an orange vest and blue shorts, the Napoli talismanic striker landed in a chattered private jet.

He is hoped to break the 24-year jinx that has afflicted Nigeria in the lead category of the CAF Awards. Nwankwo Kanu who was honoured on the opening match of the 2000 Africa Cup of Nations in Lagos was the last Nigerian to have won.

That award was for the 1999 edition.

Palais des Congrès, Movenpick, Marrakech, MOROCCO

The local television stations here in Morocco has been vocal in beaming the exploits of home boy, Achraf Hakimi the right back who played a crucial role in pushing Morocco to an historic World Cup semi-finals last year in Qatar.

Hakimi took the winning kick in the penalty shoot-out against Spain which launched  Morocco, Africa and the entire Arab World into a historic World Cup semi-finals for the first time ever.

Clips of Hakimi’s exploits, at the Paris St-Germain are also being aired in apparent motive of shaping the awards’ outcome.

He now stands as the main obstacle to the apparent front runner, Victor Osimhen.

Should Hakimi wins, it will be the second time a Moroccan had beaten a Nigerian at the last hour, bringing in the memory of the 1998 episode when Mustapha Hadji edged out the front-runner, Austin ‘Jay Jay’ Okocha.

But with Osimhen ranking highest among the African players at the 2023 Ballon d’Or, he still looks the most likely winner of the prime CAF Award ahead of the duo of Hakimi and Mohamed Salah.

If he wins, he becomes the first Nigerian to do so since the 1999 award to Nwankwo Kanu.

He will also become the first winner to have previously won the

Best Young Player of the Year. He was the African Best Young player in 2015 courtesy of his performances at the FIFA U17 World Cup that year.

In the Women’s category, record-extending Asisat Oshoala had previously won the Best Young Player of the Year (Women) in 2014.

But sometimes, expectations don’t square up with results. In the past, there have been frontrunners who stumbled on the last day as exemplified by Mikel Obi who was expected to win the title, on home soil in 2013 after Nigeria had won the Africa Cup of Nations that year.

Similar examples are that of Okocha in 1998 and Ghana’s Michael Esssien who  made the CAF award shortlist every year from 2005 to 2009, and finished second behind Mali striker Frederic Kanoute in 2007.

His compatriot and Ghana’s all-time leading goalscorer Asamoah Gyan is another notable name to miss out, finishing behind Eto’o in 2010, while Bayern Munich and Black Stars centre-back Samuel Kuffour was second in both 1999 and 2001.

Other notable misses are those of  Egypt’s Mohamed Aboutrika  in 2006 and 2010 as well as South Africa’s Benni McCarthy in 1996.

These are the official colours of the CAF Awards 2023 set to be held at the Palais des Congrès in Marrakech, Morocco on Monday, December 11.

Africa’s most esteemed sporting awards will be draped in this fine combination of elegance, power, royalty and success as a celebration of the continent’s finest.

Marrakech

Known for its red clay walls across the city, this touristic and scenic city on the foothills of the famous Atlas Mountains is the home of the CAF Awards 2023. A remarkable story of resilience and a never-give-up attitude from a people that survived a tragic earthquake this September killing almost 3,000 people.

As Marrakech hosts this year’s celebration of African talent, her people are receiving the world with great warmth and a kindred spirit ready to embrace the crème de la crème of African Football.

How to Watch

The CAF Awards 2023 will be broadcast live across the world with the national broadcasters in Algeria (EPTv), Côte d’Ivoire (RTI), Ghana (GBC), Morocco (Arryadia), Rwanda (RBA), South Africa (SABC) and Uganda (UBC) as well as OnTime Sport in Egypt.

New World TV will have the Free to Air and Pay TV rights in Togo as well as BeIN Sport that will be the go-to channel in Asia, Europe, Middle East and North Africa as well as in the USA.

Canal+ has the rights for the CAF Awards 2023 in France and Francophone Africa.

List of former winners in years past

As we look ahead at the CAF Awards 2023 on Monday, here is a list of past winners that were recognized for their excellence on the pitch and have since become an inspiration in their countries, on the continent and across the world.

Women’s Player of the Year

• 2001Mercy Akide (Nigeria)
• 2002Alberta Sackey (Ghana)
• 2003Adjoa Bayor (Ghana)
• 2004Perpetua Nkwocha (Nigeria)
• 2005 Perpetua Nkwocha (Nigeria)
• 2006Cynthia Uwak (Nigeria)
• 2007Cynthia Uwak (Nigeria)
• 2008 Noko Matlou (South Africa)
• 2009 Not awarded
• 2010Perpetua Nkwocha (Nigeria)
• 2011Perpetua Nkwocha (Nigeria)
• 2012Genoveva Anonmam (Equatorial Guinea)
• 2013Not awarded
• 2014Asisat Oshoala (Nigeria)
• 2015Gaëlle Enganamouit (Cameroon)
• 2016Asisat Oshoala (Nigeria)
• 2017Asisat Oshoala (Nigeria)
• 2018Thembi Kgatlana (South Africa)
• 2019Asisat Oshoala (Nigeria)
• 2020 Not awarded due to COVID-19 
• 2021 Not awarded due to COVID-19
• 2022Asisat Oshoala (Nigeria)

Men’s Player of the Year 

• 1992Abedi Ayew Pele (Ghana)
• 1993Rashidi Yekini (Nigeria)
• 1994 Emmanuel Amunike (Nigeria)
• 1995 George Weah (Liberia)
• 1996 Nwankwo Kanu (Nigeria)
• 1997 Victor Ikpeba (Nigeria)
• 1998 Mustapha Hadji (Morocco)
• 1999 Nwankwo Kanu (Nigeria)
• 2000 Patrick Mboma (Cameroon)
• 2001 El-Hadji Diouf (Senegal)
• 2002 El Hadji Diouf (Senegal)
• 2003 Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon)
• 2004 Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon)
• 2005 Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon)
• 2006 Didier Drogba (Côte d’Ivoire)
• 2007 Frederic Kanoute (Mali)
• 2008 Emmanuel Adebayor (Togo)
• 2009 Didier Drogba (Côte d’Ivoire)
• 2010 Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon)
• 2011 Yaya Toure (Côte d’Ivoire)
• 2012 Yaya Toure (Côte d’Ivoire)
• 2013 Yaya Toure (Côte d’Ivoire)
• 2014 Yaya Toure (Côte d’Ivoire)
• 2015 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon)
• 2016 Riyad Mahrez (Algeria)
• 2017 Mohamed Salah (Egypt)
• 2018Mohamed Salah (Egypt)
• 2019Sadio Mane (Senegal)
• 2020 Not awarded due to COVID-19
• 2021 Not awarded due to COVID-19
• 2022Sadio Mane (Senegal)

Men’s Football Coach of the Year

• 2000 Cecil Jones Attuquayefio (Ghana)
• 2001 Bruno Metsu (France)
• 2002Bruno Metsua (France)
• 2003Kadiri Ikhana (Nigeria)
• 2004Okey Emordi (Nigeria)
• 2005 Stephen Keshi (Nigeria)
• 2006Manuel José (Portugal)
• 2007 Yemi Tella (Nigeria)
• 2008 Hassan Shehata (Egypt)
• 2009 Sellas Tetteh (Ghana)
• 2010 Milovan Rajevac (Serbia)
• 2011Harouna Doula Gabde (Niger)
• 2012Hervé Renard (France)
• 2013Stephen Keshi (Nigeria)
• 2014Kheïreddine Madoui (Algeria)
• 2015Hervé Renard (France)
• 2016Pitso Mosimane (South Africa)
• 2017Héctor Cúper (Argentina)
• 2018Hervé Renard (France)
• 2019Djamel Belmadi (Algeria)
• 2020 Not awarded due to COVID-19
• 2021 Not awarded due to COVID-19
• 2022Aliou Cissé (Senegal)

Women’s Football Coach of the Year

• 2018Desiree Ellis (South Africa)
• 2019 Desiree Ellis (South Africa)
• 2020 Not awarded due to COVID-19
• 2021 Not awarded due to COVID-19
• 2022Desiree Ellis (South Africa)

Best Young Player of the Year

• 2015Victor Osimhen (Nigeria)
• 2016Alex Iwobi (Nigeria)
• 2017Patson Daka (Zambia)
• 2018 Achraf Hakimi (Morocco)
• 2019 Achraf Hakimi (Morocco)
• 2020 Not awarded due to COVID-19
• 2021 Not awarded due to COVID-19
• 2022 Pape Matar Sarr (Senegal)

Best Young Player of the Year (Woman)

• 2014 Asisat Oshoala (Nigeria)
• 2015 NOT Awarded
• 2016 Not Awarded
• 2017 Not Awarded
• 2018 Not Awarded
• 2019 Not Awarded
• 2020 Not awarded due to COVID-19
• 2021 Not awarded due to COVID-19
• 2022Evelyn Badu (Ghana)

Best Local Player

• 2003Dramane Traoré (Mali)
• 2004Vincent Enyeama (Nigeria)
• 2005 Mohamed Barakat (Egypt)
• 2006Mohamed Aboutrika (Egypt)
• 2007Amine Chermiti (Tunisia)
• 2008Mohamed Aboutrika (Egypt)
• 2009Trésor Mputu (DR Congo)
• 2010Ahmed Hassan (Egypt)
• 2011Oussama Darragi (Tunisia)
• 2012Mohamed Aboutrika (Egypt)
• 2013Mohamed Aboutrika (Egypt)
• 2014Firmin Mubele (DR Congo)
• 2015Mbwana Samatta (Tanzania)
• 2016Denis Onyango (Uganda)
• 2017 Not Available
• 2018 Not Available
• 2019Youcef Belaïli (Algeria)
• 2020 Not awarded due to COVID-19
• 2021 Not awarded due to COVID-19
• 2022Mohamed El-Shenawy (Egypt)

Best Local Player (Woman)

2022 Evelyn Badu (Ghana)

Goalkeeper of the Year

• 2001 Essam El-Hadary (Egypt)
• 2002 Tony Sylva (Senegal)
• 2003 Idriss Kameni (Cameroon)
• 2004 Ali Boumnijel (Tunisia)
• 2005 Tony Sylva (Senegal)
• 2006  Essam El-Hadary (Egypt)
• 2007  Essam El-Hadary (Egypt)
• 2008  Essam El-Hadary (Egypt)

National Team of  the Year (Men)

• 2010 Ghana
• 2011 Botswana
• 2012 Zambie
• 2013 Nigeria
• 2014 Algeria
• 2015 Côte d’Ivoire
• 2016 Uganda
• 2017Egypt
• 2018 Mauritania
• 2019Algeria
• 2020 Not awarded due to COVID-19
• 2021 Not awarded due to COVID-19
• 2022 Senegal

National Team of the Year (Women)

• 2010 Nigeria
• 2011Cameroon
• 2012 Equatorial Guinea
• 2013 Not Awarded
• 2014Nigeria
• 2015Cameroon
• 2016 Nigeria
• 2017 South Africa
• 2018Nigeria
• 2019 Cameroon
• 2020 Not awarded due to COVID-19
• 2021 Not awarded due to COVID-19
• 2022 South Africa

Club of the Year (Men)

• 2001Kaizer Chiefs
• 2002 Zamalek
• 2003Enyimba
• 2004 Enyimba
• 2005 Al Ahly
• 2006Al Ahly
• 2007Étoile du Sahel
• 2008Al Ahly
• 2009TP Mazembe
• 2010TP Mazembe
• 2011ES Tunis
• 2012Al Ahly
• 2013Al Ahly
• 2014 ES Sétif
• 2015 TP Mazembe
• 2016Mamelodi Sundowns
• 2017Wydad Casablanca
• 2018 Not Awarded
• 2020 Not awarded due to COVID-19
• 2021 Not awarded due to COVID-19
• 2022Wydad Casablanca

Club of the Year (Women)

• 2022Mamelodi Sundowns

Goal of the Year

• 2001Zoubier Baya (Tunisia)
• 2002Pape Bouba Diop (Senegal)
• 2003 Lesley Manyathela (South Africa)
• 2004Benni MacCarth (South Africa)
• 2018Thembi Kgatlana (South Africa)
• 2019Riyad Mahrez (Algeria)
• 2020 Not awarded due to COVID-19
• 2021 Not awarded due to COVID-19
• 2022Pape Ousmane Sakho (Senegal)

-Cafonline

Quantity-wise, Nigeria may not weigh much in this year’s CAF Awards which hold in the next few hours in the Atlas Mountain city of Marrakech in Morocco on Monday.

But the country has quality representatives who are most likely to win the prime awards for the African Footballer of the Year – Men and Women – in addition to possibly winning the Goalkeeper of the Year in the Women’s category.

Besides that, Nigeria, with seven, has the highest number of legends invited for the ceremony which will hold at the at the Palais des Congrès, Movenpick, Marrakech.

Headlining the seven Nigerian legends expected at the ceremony is Austin Jay Jay Okocha, who inspite of his stellar performances, agonisingly missed out in 1998 and 2003.

Also invited is Mikel Obi who also missed out in 2013, 10 years after that of Okocha. He will be joined by another Nigerian legend, Emmanuel Amuneke, winner of the award in 1994.

Other Nigerian legends expected to grace this year’s CAF Awards are: Mercy Akide, Onome Ebi, Perpetua Nkwocha and Precious Dede.

Among the prestigious guests from other countries who have confirmed their presence are football legends, music and art celebrities and prestigious names from other sporting disciplines, including Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon), Abedi Pele (Ghana), El Hadji Diouf (Senegal), Emmanuel Adebayor (Togo),  Jonathan Pitroipa (Burkina Faso), Kalusha Bwalya (Zambia), Ahmed Hassan (Egypt), and Patrick Mboma (Cameroon),  among others.

The 35 legends by countries

• Nigeria – 7
• Cameroon – 6
• Senegal – 4
• Cote d’Ivoire – 3
• Ghana -3
• Burkina Faso -2
• Guinea -2
• South Africa -2
• Zambia – 2
• Egypt 1
• DR Congo -1
• Togo -1
• Morocco -1
• Mozambique -1

Full List  of Legends  

• Augustine Jay-Jay Okocha- Nigeria
• Emmanuel Amuneke- Nigeria
• Mikel John Obi- Nigeria
• Mercy Akide – Nigeria
• Onome Ebi – Nigeria
• Perpetua Nkwocha- Nigeria
• Precious Dede – Nigeria
• Thomas N’Kono- Cameroon
• Samuel Eto’o – Cameroon
• Gaelle Enganamouit- Cameroon
• Geremi Njitap- Cameroon
• Patrick  M’Boma-Cameroon
• Rigobert Song-Cameroon
• El Hadji  Diouf- Senegal
• Demba Ba- Senegal
• Khalilou Fadiga- Senegal
• Mamadou Niang-Senegal
• Salomon Kalou- Cote d’Ivoire
• Clementine Toure- Cote d’Ivoire
• Siaka Tiene- Cote d’Ivoire
• Abedi ‘Pele’ Ayew – Ghana
• Anthony Baffoe- Ghana
• Alberta Sackey – Ghana
• Jonathan Pitroipa- Burkina Faso
• Charles Kabore- Burkina Faso
• Titi Camara- Guinea
• Pascal  Feindouno- Guinea
• Siphiwe Tshabalala- South Africa
• Janine van Wyk- South Africa
• Kalusha Bwalya- Zambia
• Rainford Kalaba-Zambia
• Herita Ilunga- DR Congo
• Ahmed Hassan-Egypt
• Manuel Jose Luis Bucuane- Mozambique
• Emmanuel Adebayor – Togo
• Mustapha El Haddaoui- Morocco