The happiest man on a night when Legends of the round leather game got to be celebrated collectively for the first time by the Nigerian Football Federation wasn’t Arsenal’s midfield talisman Alex Iwobi nor Chinese Super League goal poacher, Odion Ighalo. 

It was a night for Suadi Arabia Al Nassr’s Ahmed Musa, stand-in captain of the Super Eagles of Nigeria. 

Musa’s goal at the Russia FIFA 2018 World Cup was voted the best goal of the season while the 28-year-old was equally voted Nigeria’s best male footballer of the year. 

When 2018 began, Musa was the least expected to carry the Eagles with his legs but he did and emphatically so, scoring 2 goals in Russia to become Nigeria’s highest goal scorer at the Mundial. 

Villarreal winger Samuel Chukwueze was crowned the best young player beating Super Eagles teammates Victor Osimhen and Henry Onyekuru to the prestigious prize. 

In the female category, Super Falcons striker Anam Imo emerged the winner of the women’s category of ‘Young Player of the year’.

The Nasarrawa Amazons star beat Avaldsnes IL’s forward Rasheedat Ajibade and Rivers Angels goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie to pick up the award. 

Against the norm, Enugu Rangers FC gaffer Gbenga Ogunbote beat national team coach Gernot Rohr and Lobi Stars FC head coach Solomon Ogbeide to win the coveted award as Nigeria’s Male Coach of the year for 2018.

Lagos state Governor, Akinkumi Ambode won the Lifetime Achievement award while the development award went the way of Channels TV. 

Club Awards saw Akwa United voted for fair play while Kano Pillars’ club fans emerge from the voting as fans of the year. 

Nigeria’s female national team, Super Falcons won the Team of the Year award for 2018 after a successful outing at the Africa Women Cup of Nations where Nigeria – led by Coach Thomas Dennerby – emerged champions for the record 12th time. 

Dennerby’s ability to assemble the Falcons at short notice and lead them to conquer Africa saw him awarded female coach of the year.