31st December, 2010
Winners in the second edition of the Naija Premier League Christmas Online Awards have emerged.
After careful deliberation by the organisers of the awards, Naijapremierleague.net and Naijaligue.blogspot.com, winners in eight categories of Best Player, Best Foreign Player, Best Rookie, Fastest Goal of the Season, Best Brand, Best Coach, Best Club (in terms of performance), Best Promoted Club and Special Recognition have been named.
Ukeyima Akombo of Sunshine Stars beat teammate, Cletus Itodo, Jude Aneke of Kaduna United and Isiaka Olawale of Kwara United to win this year’s Best Player award.
Ghanaian James Amankwei, who plays for Jos University Teaching Hospital, JUTH Football Club, edged Owusu Addae of Dolphins and Ousmane Pape Sane of Sharks due to his yeoman performance for The Healers in the ongoing season.
Left-footed Chima Akas of Shooting Stars Sports Club, 3SC picked the gong for Best Rookie in the Premier League ahead of the trio of Philip Asuquo (Crown Football Club), Audu Akeem (Bukola Babes) and Anthony Okemiri (Kwara United).
The Fastest Goal award went to Enugu Rangers’ man, Musa Najire, whose third minute strike against Zamfara United in a Week 5 game remains the fastest.
Following its N2.6 billion title sponsorship bid for the Premier League in Nigeria, the panelists of Naijapremierleague.net and Naijaligue.blogspot.com picked MTN ahead of Owu, manufacturer of Shooting Stars’ kits for this season.
Gbenga Ogunbote and his team, Sunshine Stars, grabbed two big awards as the Best Coach and Best Club respectively for holding on to the top spot into the Christmas and New Year, while Crown FC are recognised as the Best Promoted Club.
For providing four grounds to Premier League clubs – Crown FC, Kwara United, 3SC and Sunshine Stars – Ogun State is recognised for boosting the quality of the league.
Four stadia in Abeokuta, Ijebu-Ode, Ilaro and Sagamu are being used for Premier League games this season making Ogun State the only state to have four sides and four grounds in the topflight.
