Globacom Lauds CAF on Glo-CAF Awards new date

Globacom Limited, the sponsor of the Glo-CAF African Football Awards has lauded the Confederation of African Football (CAF) on the approval of a new date for the awards ceremony.

The Executive Committee of CAF had at its meeting last Monday approved a new date of February 16 for the Awards initially scheduled for Monday, January 9. The awards ceremony was postponed late December in deference to the wishes of some of the nominees, mostly players, who cited their involvement in the African Cup of Nations. The players had argued that they might not be able to attend the ceremony in the face of conflict between their national teams and clubs over their release for the continental tournament.

Most of the European clubs had been reluctant to release the players to their national teams in good time for the Nations Cup camping.

Mr. Mike Jituboh, Globacom's Executive Director, Special Duties, said the company is working to consolidate the elaborate plans already put in place to stage a world class ceremony. He added that Globacom is comfortable with the new date and reiterated the company's commitment to collaborate with CAF in raising football on the continent to new heights.

"The new date is most welcome and we are working with CAF to consolidate on all aspects of the elaborate program to produce a ceremony that will make Africa proud. The Glo-CAF Awards ceremony is a platform to recognize and reward excellence in African football, and we have put together a plan for a ceremony that will match the status of the award. It is going to be the very best in the history of the Awards", Jituboh said and added that the venue for the ceremony remains the African International Conference Centre in Abuja, Nigeria.

Cote d'Ivoires' Diddier Drogba, Ghana's Michael Essien and Cameroon's Samuel Eto'O were in November announced as the three nominees for the African Player of Year category. Nigeria's duo of John Mikel Obi and Taye Taiwo are in the race with Egypt's Farraq Ahmed for the Young Player of the Year category.