Nigerian star, Ademola Lookman has been named the African Player of the Year at the prestigious 2024 Confederation of African Football Awards.
The announcement was made during a glittering ceremony in Marrakech, Morocco, celebrating the finest talents in African football.
Receiving the award, Lookman, addressing the audience in Yoruba, said, “E kale Nigeria, mo n kii gbo gbo yin. E shey, Modupe. (Good evening Nigeria. I greet every one of you; thank you, I appreciate.)
“First I want to thank Almighty God for everything that he has been doing in my life and everything he has been blessing me with.
“I want to thank the presidents, I wanna thank all my teammates, club, country, for their support and the love they have given me.”
He added, “Just over 4 years ago, I failed in front of the world. Fast forward 4 years and I’m the best player in Africa.”
The Atalanta forward had a sensational year, dazzling fans with his incredible skill, blistering pace, and clinical finishing.
Lookman was instrumental in both his club’s success in Serie A and Nigeria’s qualification for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
His standout performances, including crucial goals in the UEFA Europa League and consistent brilliance in domestic competitions, solidified his position as one of Africa’s brightest stars.
Lookman edged out fierce competition from Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi, Ivory Coast’s Simon Adingra, Guinea striker Serhou Guirassy, and South Africa goalkeeper Ronwen Williams to claim the coveted award.