Shaibu, Gusau Hail Osimhen, Oshoala, Others for Bringing Honours to Nigeria

Edo State Deputy Governor, Rt Hon Comrade Philip Shaibu, has congratulated Victor Osimhen, Nigeria and Napoli FC forward, for clinching the coveted 2023 African Footballer of The Year Award. 

Similarly, he also congratulated sensational female footballer,  Asisat Oshoala for winning the African Women’s Player of the Year Award for the record sixth time. Oshoala is the Super Falcon forward. 

 In his congratulatory message he personally signed, the Deputy Governor noted:

“I am profoundly delighted to congratulate our own Victor Osimhen and Asisat Oshoala for bringing football glory to our dear country, Nigeria.  Super Eagles of Nigeria forward, Victor Osimhen, has been crowned the CAF Best Footballer of the year 2023 while Asisat Oshoala, for the record 6th time, clinched the CAF’s African Best Women’s Player of the Year 2023.  Indeed, the icing on the cake is the fact that for the very first time, these two prestigious football  titles  are won by Nigerians.

“No doubt, this is a great feat worth celebrating by sports enthusiasts, particularly football lovers in Nigeria and beyond, for the breath of fresh air the glamorous awards have  brought to Nigerian football”.

“For me, these awards are  well deserved and befitting of the record-breaking  performances both of you have put up in your respective clubs outside our shores and of course, in the Nigeria male and female  national teams”.

“Indeed, you have not only done well for yourselves,  you have made Edo and Ogun States proud and taken Nigerian football to the next level”.

“Once again, congratulations and many more exploits in your football career,” concludes the Deputy Governor who played in some of Bendel Insurance NPFL matches last season.

Also speaking about the feat achieved by these Nigerian footballers, President of Nigeria Football Federation, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau was a very happy man on Monday night, as Nigeria swept important honours at this year’s CAF Football Awards held in Marrakech, Morocco.

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.

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.”  

Ex international and 1997 African Footballer of the Year, Victor Ikpeba, similarly hailed Osimhen, Oshoala and Nnadozie for achieving the feats.

Speaking on SuperSport Monday Night Football, Ikpeba however stressed that the award will now put more pressure on Osimhen to deliver for the Super Eagles.