Super Eagles’ stars, Victor Osimhen and Calvin Bassey, as well as The Guardian’s Christian Okpara are among the nominees for the 10th Nigeria Pitch Awards, the organisers have announced.

At the unveiling of the nominees yesterday in Lagos, African Woman Footballer of the Year, Asisat Oshoala, Leicester City midfielder, Wilfred Ndidi and Enyimba coach, Finidi George, were named in the various categories of the award.

The Guardian’s Okpara was nominated in the Football Journalist of The Year (print) category, where he is vying with Charles Diya of New Telegraph and Johnny Edward of The Punch.

Contestants in the Goalkeeper of The Year category are Kayode Bankole of Remo Stars, Amas Obasogie of Bendel Insurance and Enyimba’s Ojo Olorunleke.

In the Defender of The Year category are Calvin Bassey of Fulham (England), Ola Aina of Nottingham Forest (England) and Bright Osayi-Samuel of Turkey’s Fenerbahçe SK.

Challenging Ndidi in the Midfielder of The Year category are AIhassan Yusuf of Royal Antwerp (Belgium) and Alex Iwobi of Fulham FC. Osimhen will contend with Robert Mizo of Bayelsa United and Victor Boniface of Bayer Leverkusen in the Striker of the Year award, just as Oshoala will battle with Super Falcons’ Captain, Rasheedat Ajibade of Atletico Madrid and Chiamaka Nnadozie of Paris FC in the Queen of the Pitch category.

Osimhen is also in contention for the King of the Pitch award, where he has Enyimba’s Emeka Obioma and Victor Boniface as challengers.
Other nominees for the awards, which date for the ceremony will be announced by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) soon, are Super Falcons, Enyimba and Remo Stars (team of the Year), Daniel Ogunmodede of Remo Stars, Finidi George of Enyimba and Super Falcons’ Randy Waldrum (Coach of the Year), as well as Osimhen, Ahmed Musa and Kunle Soname for the Sam Okwaraji Award.

Listed in the State with Best Grassroots Football Development Programme category are Edo, Delta and Lagos, while Football Pitch of the Year nominees are Mobolaji Johnson Sports Arena, Onikan, Lagos State, Remo Stars Stadium, Ogun State and Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

Governors Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos and Edo’s Godwin Obaseki are the nominees in the Football Friendly Governor of the Year category, while Bet9ja, GTI Financial and MTN are the nominees in the Corporate Sponsor of the Year category.

Speaking at the unveiling ceremony, Nigeria Pitch Awards President, Shina Phillips, restated the resolve and commitment of the organisers to continue to sustain the award platform, saying that the organisers, within the last decade, have remained resolute in their objective of giving Nigerian football a credible award platform which can consistently motivate and inspire healthy competition among our players, coaches, administrators, sponsors and journalists.”

“This has come at a great cost to us but the outcome we have witnessed in recent years has shown that it is indeed a worthwhile project,” he said, adding that the shortlist by their collation and audit partner is entirely the result of the professional work put in by the voters and SIAO Partners.

“The results clearly reflect the wishes of our voters across the country. Being nominated in the first place is a huge honour and I therefore urge all those nominated to accept their nomination with a sense of fulfilment.

“We had envisaged that the 10th Award Ceremony would hold in March during the International Match Window. Unfortunately, the team would not be coming to Nigeria. We will therefore announce the date for the grand 10th Award Ceremony after due consultation with all our partners.”