Obasanjo happy with CAF
awards
By Sun News Publishing
Monday, February 20, 2006
 |
•
Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo (L) commending
Cameroonian Samuel Eto, Thursday, after he was awarded
the African Footballer of the Year at the International
Conference Centre in Abuja. Eto beat Cote d’Ivoire’s
Didier Drogba and Ghanaian Michael Essien who placed
second and third, respectively. He thus become the first
footballer to win the prestigious prize thrice, consecutively.
Photo: THE SUN PUBLISHING |
|
Nigerian President, Olusegun Obasanjo has praised the competition
generated among African players by the annual CAF African
awards, saying it has helped to improve their quality as well
as that of their game.
Obasanjo who received the Glo-CAF Platinum award at the impressive
ceremony in Abuja Thursday evening said: "The healthy
rivalry which the quest to win the award has engendered, had
motivated them (the players) to do well in all respect. And
this has not been only for their clubs but their countries
as well."
He pointed out that this situation has consequently transformed
the players from national stars to football icons.
President Obasanjo went on to pledge that government will
strive to take into cognisance, the significance of Samuel
Eto'o's street-to-stardom story.
"As Eto'o has just told us this night, there are so many
African kids on the backstreets, who can rise to stardom.
So, we must provide the facilities to bring them out and the
opportunities to make them shine and attain glory," he
stated.
|
