CAF Awards 2024: President Bola Ahmed Tinubu hails Ademola Lookman success

By Monsurah Olatunji

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has congratulated Ademola Lookman for being named the 2024 CAF Player of the Year, succeeding Victor Osimhen in the prestigious award. Lookman’s remarkable performance at the 2024 CAF Awards in Marrakech, Morocco, earned him the title after a standout year with both his club and national team.

Though born and raised in England, Lookman chose to represent Nigeria at the international level and has been a key player for the Super Eagles. The 27-year-old played a vital role in Nigeria’s runner-up finish at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Côte d’Ivoire, scoring three goals in seven matches and earning a spot in the official Team of the Tournament.

In recognition of their efforts in reaching the AFCON final, President Tinubu honored the entire Super Eagles team with the Member of the Order of the Niger (M.O.N) national award.

Lookman’s impressive form continued at club level with Atalanta, where he helped secure the Europa League title, a top-four finish in Serie A, and Coppa Italia silver.

His crowning achievement came when he scored a hat-trick in the final of the Europa League against Bayer Leverkusen, making history as the first player to achieve such a feat.

In a statement, President Tinubu commended Lookman’s hard work and dedication, emphasizing that the player’s success is a reflection of the qualities the administration seeks to foster in Nigeria. “Their determination, discipline, and confidence underscore the administration’s resolve to build a better Nigeria where everyone thrives and succeeds,” the President said.

At the CAF Awards Gala, Lookman caught attention for his striking appearance in traditional Nigerian Agbada attire, standing out among the other nominees and gaining significant attention on social media.

Samuel Ahmadu

Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.

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