There wasn’t any contention anyway; we all knew
Asisat Oshoala would win the Glo/CaF African woman of the year award. With such
superlative performances this Rivers Angel displayed in 2014, she should have
even won the Ballon d’or by my own reckoning.
Oshoala was the MVP and highest goal scorer at the
2014 FIFA U-21 Women’s world cup. She also won the MVP at the CAF African women
championship (AWC). Since then, it has been one award to another. She was named
the Nigerian woman footballer of the year in November and last night, at the
Glo/ CAF award she won another double. She was named the CAF African woman of
the year and Youth player of the year at the ceremony held on January 8, 2014;
at the Eko la Mariden Lagos Nigeria.
Perhaps, what may be in contention was how Vincent
Enyeama lost the CAF African player of the year award to Yaya Toure of
Manchester city/ Cote d’Ivoire after putting up a consistent five star
performances since 2013. He led Nigeria national team to AFCON 2013 victory. He
was named one of the best goal keepers at the 2014 FIFA world cup after he made several saves that helped took Nigeria
to the second round of the mundial.
Enyeama may not have played for big clubs in the
Premiership and UEFA Champions League. But his performances have caught the
attention of the world as a safe hand for Lille OSC in the French Ligue 1. So
it was amazing to me that he lost out; most Nigerians expected him to win.
I thought it would have been Nigeria all the way,
but it turned out to be a mix fortune. But It was a clear dominance when it
came to the women category. It was Nigeria’s Desire Oparanozie that was up
against Oshoala.
It shows that Nigerian women football is back at the
forefront of Africa. With the way Falconets took on Germany to extra time at
the FIFA U-21 women championship in Canada,may have instilled confidence in the
girls. They feel they can take the world by storm in Canada by June this year.
Ngeria’s Super Falcons will be playing in the FIFA
Women’s World cup slated to hold in June 2014. Nigeria is placed in Group D
along side with Sweden, Australia and USA. It’s another chance for Oshoala and
her teammates to show case awesome skills to the world again.
I am sincerely
hoping that the Nigerian girls will do well at this year’s tourney. And I hope
Oshoala will rise to the challenge once again. As she is going presently, I
will not be surprise if she will be in the next Ballon d’Or Award ceremony,
possibly wins the prestigious FIFA Women Player of the Year.
For your records, Oshoala is the third Nigerian to
win CAF African Women of the Year. Perpetua Nkwocha won the award four times
and Mercy Akide, twice.
