Organisers of frontline Football awards-Nigeria Pitch Awards on Tuesday, announced it will bestow special awards of honour on Nigerian First Lady, Mrs Aisha Buhari, Inspector General of Police, Mr. Alkali Usman Baba, Nigerian Football Federation President, Mr. Amaju Pinnick and Presidential Assistant on Sports, Mr. Amokachi.
This was revealed at a luncheon hosted for the voters of the awards at the Ibis Hotel, Toyin Street, Ikeja, Lagos.
According to the President of Matchmakers Consult, organisers of the Nigeria Pitch Awards, Mr. Shina Philips, the Special Achievement in Sports Award to Her Excellency, Aisha Buhari, First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is for her hosting of the Aisha Buhari Invitational Women’s Football Tournament. Philip said Mrs Buhari has for this singular feat, become Africa’s champion for the advancement of the rights of the girl child to social, economic and political development on the continent.
On the Sportsmanship Award award to the Inspector General of Police, IGP Alkali Baba Usman, Philip stated the honour is for the IGP’s introduction of ‘Operation Restore Peace’ in the South-East and South-South. This peace move effectively doused tension between the Police and the citizens and ushered in a new wave of Police-Citizen Partnership in the fight against criminality in the region. IGP Alkali, he said, is also a passionate supporter of sports as demonstrated during the biennial Police Games in Awka in 2020.
Mr. Amaju Melvin Pinnick according to Philip, will be honoured for his contributions to the advancement of Nigerian football and for his representation of the country at the highest level of world football, while Mr. Daniel Amokachi, ‘The Bull’ Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sports will be honoured for the pivotal and historic role he played in Nigeria’s first World Cup appearance.
The organisers also revealed that voting for the 8th edition which is expected to hold in March 2022, will commence in the last week of October, 2021.
The event, attracted the who’s who in sports Journalism and management, including Demola Olajire- Director of Communications, NFF,Nneka Eneli-Head, Corporate Development, SAIO Partners, Tony Ubani-President, Guild of Sports Editors & Sports Editor, Vanguard Newspapers, Toyin Ibitoye- SSA on Multimedia to the Honorable Minister of Youths and Sports, Cecilia Omorogbe-Channels TV, Duro Ikhazuagbe-Sports Editor, Thisday, Blessing Nwosu-Silverbird TV, Godwin Enakhena-Sportsplash & Top Radio, Gbolahan Dada-Sporting Life, Moyakinyo Abodunrin-Spirts Editor, The Nation Newspapers, Nlebem Anthony Ifeanyi-Sports Editor, Businessday, Tunde Eluduni-Premium Times, Emmanuel Jemegah-Sports Editor, The Sun Newspapers, Bunmi Ogunyale-Sporting Sun, Taiwo Adelu-PM News, Cosmos Chukwuemeka Akisi-LASU Radio, Oluwashina Charles Oludare-Chief Editor, Goal.com, Nigeria, Olanrewaju Akojede – NAN, Steve Dede – Pulse.ng, Christian Okpara-Sport Editor, The Guardian, Adekunle Salami-Sport Editor, New Telegraph.
