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The President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Melvin Pinnick has given thumbs up to the organizers of the Nigeria Pitch Awards as the 8th edition of the NFF –endorsed awards ceremony comes up at The Wells Carlton Hotel & Apartments, Asokoro, Abuja on Tuesday, 29th March 2022.
Launched in 2013 and driven by a crop of young and dedicated entrepreneurs, the Nigeria Pitch Awards has remained firmly among the most consistent, credible and trusted annual ceremonies to reward Nigerian football stars over the years.
The NFF continues to endorse the Nigeria Pitch Awards because of the transparency of the awards’ processes and the integrity of the project.
Read Also: Nigeria Pitch Awards holds March 27th in Abuja
“Awards are a very important part of the sport. It helps to motivate, incentivize and energize the actors and actresses on the pitch. Beyond monetary rewards, awards are very special in that many, many years after, you can look at it either on the wall of your room or inside your cabinet and be proud of what you did while you were out there active in the business.
“I salute the bravery and perseverance of the President of Pitch Awards, Shina Phillips and his team. They are doing a great job that is helping the collective work of inspiring our players to more determined and greater performances in crucial matches and championships, ” Pinnick said.
To be honoured at the ceremony are Dr Aisha Muhammadu Buhari, wife of the President who will receive Special Achievement Awards in Sports; Mrs Betsy Obaseki, First Lady of Edo State and; IGP Usman Alkali Baba, the Inspector-General of Police.
Super Eagles’ star-boy Victor Osimhen will battle team-mates Paul Onuachu and Wilfred Ndidi for the King of the Pitch award. Super Falcons’ trio of Asisat Oshoala, Uchenna Kanu and Gift Monday will duel for the Queen of the Pitch diadem.
Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State and Ezenwo Nyesom Wike of Rivers will contend for the Football-Friendly Governor of the Year. Kelechi Iheanacho joins Osimhen and Onuachu for the Striker of the Year contest.
NFF’s partners MTN, Air Peace and AITEO are in the ring for the Corporate Sponsor of Football award.
Other categories are Goalkeeper of the Year; Defender of the Year; Midfielder of the Year; Team of the Year; Coach of the Year; Sam Okwaraji Award; State with Best Grassroots Football Development Programme; Football Pitch of the Year and; Football Journalist of the Year awards.
This year’s awards ceremony takes place hours after the final leg of the FIFA World Cup playoff between Nigeria’s Super Eagles and the Black Stars of Ghana at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja.