December, 11 2023.
Since 1999, when Golden Boy, Kanu Nwankwo won the African Footballer of the Year Award, no other Nigeria has been able to do so.
But on the back of his exploits, in the Italian Serie A, where he set and reset many records whilst leading SSC Napoli to win their third Sccudetto, last season after a 33 years wait; and his eye-catching eighth place finish in the recently held Balloon d'Or; Victor James Osimhen has been backed heavily to break the 24 years wait for a Nigerian player to be crown Africa's best.
Former Super Eagles captains, Sunday Oliseh and Austin Jay-Jay Okocha; who are ranked amongst the best football pundits on the continent; and legendary Black Stars of Ghana captain, Asamoah Gyam have all been unequivocally backed Osimhen to scoop the coverted gong, on account of his exploits last season.
Having joined from Lille in the French League 1, Osimhen last season obliterated the long standing of former African, European and World footballer of the year; George Opong Weah's record (46 goals) for the African with the most goals in the Serie A.
At the end of the season, he also won the award, for the highest goal scorer; as well as the Serie A player of the 2022/23 season, the first African to earn the honour.
With 23 goals to his name, the 24-year-old Osimhen, broke Samuel Eto's twenty-one (21) goals for Inter Milan, to reset the record of an African player with most SerieA goals in a single season.
Osimhen who is the all time highest goal scorer of Under-17 World Cup with ten (10) goals to his name; was the highest scorer in the qualifiers to the finals in Côte d'Ivoire 2023; www.ckdmedia.ng reports.
The 2023 CAF Awards will take place on December 11, in Marrakesh, Morocco; and Osimhen (MFR) is up against former two-time winner, Mohammed Salah of Liverpool of England and Egypt; and Achraf Hakimi of Paris Saint-Germain and Moroccan defender to contend with, for the title and successor to Senegal's Sadio Mané as the next King of African football.
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