Kanu, Amuneke, Ikpeba, Eto’o, Weah to grace CAF Awards Gala

Nigerian legends Nwankwo Kanu, Emmanuel Amuneke and Victor Ikpeba are among past winners of the CAF African Player award invited to grace the 2017 Gala billed for January 4, 2018.

According to the announcement made on CAF’s official website on Thursday, all previou
s winners of the award since its inception in 1992 will be at the ceremony that will be hosted in Accra, Ghana.

Amuneke was 1994 winner while Kanu got the award in 1996. Ikpeba wore the crown in 1997 before Kanu won it again in 1999.

Other continental legends who will also be in Accra are George Weah, Abedi Pele, Samuel Eto’o, Patrick Mboma, Didier Drogba, Mustapha Hadji and Badou Zaki among others.

Women football legends are also not left out, as CAF has also invited the “previous Queens of African football” to be part of the “biggest assemblage of football stakeholders” on the continent.

A statement on CAF’s website reads: “All previous winners of the African Player of the Year since its inception by CAF in 1992 are expected to grace the Aiteo CAF Awards Gala 2017, scheduled for Thursday, 4 January 2018, at the International Conference Centre in Accra, Ghana.

“From Abedi Pele, winner of the maiden edition in 1992 through to Riyad Mahrez, crowned in 2016, the winners who represent various generations will be given prominence at the ceremony designed to celebrate the key stakeholders of African football.

“Others are Nigerian trio, Emmanuel Amuneke, Nwankwo Kanu and Victor Ikpeba, Cameroonian and four-time winner, Samuel Eto’o Fils and compatriot Patrick Mboma, Ivorian Yaya Toure, a four-time winner and countryman Didier Drogba and El Hadji Diouf of Senegal.

“The rest are George Weah of Liberia, Mustapha Hadji of Morocco, Malian Frederic Kanoute, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Gabon and Togolese Emmanuel Adebayor
.
“Also, the women are not left out as previous Queens of African football are also penciled for the biggest assemblage of football stakeholders,” CAF stated.

Meanwhile, Super Falcons’ Asisat Oshoala will be battling to defend her Women’s Player of the Year title at the ceremony; while Super Eagles Technical Adviser, Gernot Rohr will hope to pick the Best Coach award.
Super Eagles are also contenders of Men’s national team of the year, while Falconets are up for the Women’s national team of the Year.