Port Harcourt awaits Nigeria Pitch Awards ceremony
Organizers of the prestigious Nigeria Pitch Awards have announced the date and venue for the 2017/18 award ceremony. Speaking in Lagos on Monday, Shina Philips, who is the initiator of the awards said the Award Ceremony would hold on Monday, 28 May at the Le Meridien Ogeyi Place in the Garden City of Port Harcourt.
Philips said after deliberations, the committee agreed that Port Harcourt was the best venue for the 5th award ceremony of the Nigeria Pitch Awards.
He said, “The committee had a long and serious deliberation and finally decided that Port Harcourt would be the best location for the 5th edition of the awards. The Garden City has been a centre of sporting activities for a long time home for the Super Eagles.”
Philips thanked all the voters and members of the Nigerian media for their support for the Nigeria Pitch Awards.
“Sports Editors and journalists have been our voters for the last five editions and they have done this conscientiously without receiving any form of wages.”
Three Super Eagles players, Victor Moses of Chelsea FC, Wilfred Ndidi of Leicester and Mikel Obi of Tiajin Teda will be battling for the top prize at the awards.
Nominees for other categories are:
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.Godwin Obaseki – Edo State
2.Emmanuel Udom – Akwa Ibom State
3.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
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.Rueben Charity – Ibom Angels
3.Asisat Oshoala – Dalian Quanjian
King of the Pitch
1.Victor Moses – Chelsea FC
2.Wilfred Ndidi – Leicester City FC
3.John Mikel Obi – Tiajin Teda