Organizers of the prestigious Nigeria Pitch Awards, have declared that the 10th edition of the Nigeria’s longest-running football awards would be special as preparations begin in earnest.
The award which debuted with pomp and glitz in Calabar in 2013 has celebrated Nigeria’s football heroes and heroines for a decade with every edition adjudged to be spectacular.
Expressing great delight about how the one decade edition of the award would be unfolded at a press conference in Lagos on Tuesday, President of the Pitch Award, Shina Phillips, said that it was important to make the 10th edition special and there were big plans on the cards to make it unique.
Phillips also revealed that a first class symposium to discuss the future of Nigerian football would herald plans for the event.
“We are going to announce some of the big initiatives we are adding to the Award Ceremony with time” Phillips said. “I say big thank you to our independent vote collating and partners, SIAO, and the Nigeria Football Federation and also college of voters for standing by us over the years”
An elated Phillips added that it is noteworthy that the award has moved with leaps and bounds these 10 years giving assurance that the standard and integrity of the award have been jealously protected.
Phillips also hinted that the awards has honoured hundreds of footballers across 16 categories in the last decade adding that the award has been consistent as a platform to recognize and reward talents, industry and patriotism among footballers and other officials.
“Since the maiden edition in 2013, we have given out over 170 awards to deserving players and officials at award ceremonies held in Calabar, Kaduna, Uyo, Port Harcourt, Asaba, Lagos and Abuja. “The awards platform has created opportunities for footballers, football administrators, managers/coaches, referees, journalists and other critical stakeholders to get recognition and honour for their talent, hard work and commitment to the development of the beautiful game.
The 10th edition of the Pitch Award is scheduled to take place in Match 2024 after the voting between December 4, 2023 and January 12, 2024.
Director of Communications of the NNF, Ademola Olajire, commended Nigerian journalists for supporting the Award project in the past 10 years.
“It has been a huge success story and it cannot be done without the media,” Olajire said.