VICTOR Osimhen, Asisat Oshoala were crowned the 2023 African Footballer of the Year in both male and female categories, on Monday, December 11, as Nigeria dominates the 2023 Confederation of African Football (CAF) Awards held in Marrakech, Morocco.

In the male category, Osimhen defeated Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi and Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah to emerge as the winner, ending Nigeria’s 24-year-old wait for Africa’s top individual football prize.

Coincidentally, Osimhen was less than a year old when former Nigerian striker Nwankwo Kanu won the award in 1999.

In the female category, Oshoala added another feather to her cap, winning the African Women’s Player of the Year for a record-extending sixth time.

Also, Super Falcons’ goal keeper Chinaza Nnadozie won the inaugural best African goalkeeper of the year.

In the National Team category, Nigeria’s Super Falcon won the best team of the year.

However, Nigeria midfielder Deborah Abiodun lost out on the African Young Player to Moroccan rivals Nesrye El Chad in the youth category…

Oshimen has registered his name among past winners likes of Rashidi Yekini, Victor Ikpeba, Emmanuel Amunike, and Kanu to win the award.

Elated by the Nigeria’s feat at the CAF Awards, the President. Nigeria Football Federation,  Ibrahim Musa Gusau congratulated the winners, advising them not to rest on their oars.

“I am very excited tonight. This has been hugely rewarding for our football and for our country as a whole. I congratulate Osimhen, Oshoala and Nnadozie, and I congratulate the Super Falcons as a team for bringing us this honour.

“My charge would be that they all keep doing what they know how to do best, keep improving and keep winning. The sky will be the beginning for them.”