League Bloggers Award 2012: Ex-Internationals confirm attendance

 
Former Super Eagles' stars, Jonathan Akpoborie and Daniel Amokachi have confirmed they will grace the 2012 League Bloggers Awards (LBA) in Lagos this Sunday.
Both former Nigerian internationals assured of their presence at the first edition of the end-of-season LBA this week.

And Akpoborie believes that the reward system put in place by the League Bloggers will help the "confidence" of players in the Nigerian top flight.

He commended the LBA for coming up with such an event to recognise the actors, especially players, in the league.

"The players need something like this to boost their confidence and spur them on to do more. It's a good move by the organise to recognise the players after all they've done in the league," said Akpoborie.

Twelve categories will be competed for in the 2012 LBA including the prestigious Player of the Season, which will round off the ceremony.


Over the years, footballers have been neglected in terms of recognitions off the pitch, some sports journalists and sport lovers are not conversant with the players of The Nigeria Premier League and this has raised a huge concern in the heart of the organisers of the maiden edition of the League Bloggers Award.
The award will avail both the journalists and sport lovers the opportunity to meet and interact with players and administrators of our local league.

This year's award will feature key categories in the round leather game.

1. Rookie of the Year

•Solomon Jabason (Akwa United)

•Austin Amutu (Warri Wolves)

•Andrew Abalogu (ABS)

•Bright Esieme (ABS)


2. Best Goalkeeper

•Femi Thomas (Akwa United)

•Moses Ocheje (Sunshine Stars)

•Theophilus Afelokhai (Kano Pillars)

•Chigozie Agbim (Warri Wolves)


3. Best Foreigner

•Ousmane Pape Sane (Sharks/Senegal)

•Tamen Medrano (Sunshine Stars/Cameroon)

•Pierre Coly (Sharks/Senegal)

•Adama Coulibaly (Warri Wolves/Mali)

•Owusu Addae (Dolphins/Ghana)


4. Club of the Year

•Kano Pillars

•ABS

•Lobi Stars

•Enugu Rangers


5. Best Designed Club Jersey

•3SC (OWU)

•Warri Wolves (NOMIS)

•Kano Pillars (Cone)


6. Highest Goal Scorer Award

•Sibi Gwar - 16 goals


7. Manager of the Year (NPL)

•Okey Emordi (Enugu Rangers)

•Dominic Iorfa (Lobi Stars)

•Baba Ganaru (Kano Pillars)


8. Manager of the Year (Africa)

•Maurice Cooreman (Warri Wolves)

•Gbenga Ogunbote (Sunshine Stars)

•Lodewijk de Kruif (Heartland)

•Stanley Eguma (Dolphins)


9. Best National Team Player

•Ejike Uzoenyi (Enugu Rangers)

•Chigozie Agbim (Warri Wolves)

•Reuben Gabriel (Kano Pillars)

•Azubuike Egwuekwe (Warri Wolves)


10. Player of The Year

•Reuben Gabriel (Kano Pillars)

•David Tyavkase (Lobi Stars)

•Godfrey Oboabona (Sunshine Stars)

•Sibi Gwar (Niger Tornadoes)


11. Best Referee

•Benjamin Odey

•Gabriel Adigwe

•Jelili Ogunmuyiwa

•Mohammed Sani


12. Club Administrator of the Year

•Dominic Iorfa (Lobi Stars)

•Abba Galadima (Kano Pillars)

•Amaju Pinnick (Warri Wolves)

I have my list of winners and i can always put my money on them and hopefully they win and make me a proud Nigerian and in the words of Mozez Praiz "The Nigerian Premier League - Na our own"

See you on Sunday.