Okocha, Kanu, Other Football Stars To Grace Glo-CAF Awards Gala Night

 

The 2014 Glo-CAF Awards gala night coming up in Lagos on Thursday, 8th January, 2015 will be attended by many ex -internationals including former Super Eagles Captains, Austin ‘Jay-Jay’ Okocha and Kanu Nwankwo.

In a statement from the organisers of the awards, Globacom, Okocha and two former African Footballers of the year, Nwankwo Kanu and Victor Nosa Ikpeba, are expected to grace the awards aptly labeled the  Oscars of African football.

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It is believed that their presence at the event would spur younger football players to greater height.

Okocha distinguished himself playing with Einthract Frankfurt FC of Germany, Fernabache of Turkey, Paris St Germain of France and Bolton Wanderers of England.  He is noted for his flamboyant skills and dribbles on the pitch.  A two-time winner of the BBC African Player of the Year, he was honoured with the Legends Award along with Ex-Moroccan International Mustapha Hadji at the 2011 Glo-Caf Awards.  He wore many caps for the Nigerian national team, Super Eagles before he retired about eight years ago. 

Similarly, Ikpeba, a former player of Monaco FC, popularly known as ‘Prince of Monaco’ played for the France-based team for many years before moving over to Borrussia Dortmund FC in Germany. He was also in Blgium where he played for Standard Liege.  He won the African Footballer of the year Award in 1997.

Ex-International, Kanu Nwankwo began his football exploit as a  striker in Ajax of Amsterdam and later moved to Inter Milan, Arsenal and Portsmouth amonst others. Nwankwo is rated as Nigeria's most successful player and he earned global acclaim for his infinite capacity to score memorable goals. He won the African Footballer of the Year Award twice in 1996 and 1999.

 

He captained Nigerian National team, Super Eagles for many years before retiring from active football.  He was the captain of the Atlanta Olympics winning U-23 team in 1996.  He established the Kanu Nwankwo Heart Foundation which has assisted a number of young children across Africa with heart challenges.

The three ex- Nigerian Internationals will lead other Super Eagles players to the event where they will have the opportunity to reminisce on their Super Eagles days, as well as meet current and ex-Internationals from different parts of Africa.

The 2014 Glo-Caf Awards will hold at the Convention Centre, Eko Hotel & Suites, Lagos on 8th January, 2015.

CAF released the final list of three shortlisted players last week for the African Player of the Year awards.

They are Nigerian Vincent Enyeama who currently plays for Lille in France, three times African Player of the Year and Manchester City Midfielder, Yaya Toure, and Gabonese Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang currently playing for Borussia Dortmund in Germany.