Gabon striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been crowned CAF African Player of the Year for the first time.
The 26-year old beat Ivorian Yaya Toure and Ghana’s Andre Ayew to the crown, the most prestigious individual award in African football.
He polled 143 points, seven more than Toure whilst Ayew finished a distant third with 112 points.
He thus becomes the first from his country, Gabon, to win the prize and was decorated at the 2015 Glo-CAF Awards Gala held on Thursday, 7 January 2016 at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, Nigeria.
The feat by Aubameyang ended the four-year reign of Toure, which lasted 2011 to 2014.
For the African Player of the Year – Based in Africa, Tanzanian Mbwana Aly Samatta was decorated, becoming the first from East Africa to win the coveted prize, reserved for footballers plying their trade on the continent.
Samatta garnered 127 points, ahead of his TP Mazembe teammate and DR Congo goalkeeper Robert Muteba Kidiaba, who amassed 88 points. Algerian Baghdad Bounedjah trailed in third place with 63 points.
Cameroonian Gaelle Enganamouit was adjudged Women’s Player of the Year becoming the first from her country to pick up the prize.
It was double delight for hosts Nigeria with two prizes, Victor Osimhen – Youth Player of the Year and Etebo Peter Oghenekaro – Most Promising
Talent of the Year.
For guiding Cote d’Ivoire to continental glory, former coach Herve Renard was named Coach of the Year and ‘Les Elephants’ as National Team of the Year. Cameroon scooped the Women’s National Team of the Year prize and DR Congo giants, TP Mazembe, Club of the Year, whilst Gambian Papa Bakary Gassama went home with the Referee of the Year award.
Former Ghana coach Charles Kumi Gyamfi and Cameroonian Samuel Mbappe Leppe were honoured posthumously in the African Legend category. Edwin Gyamfi received the honour on behalf of his dad whilst …… picked the prize for Mbappe Leppe.
The event, sponsored by Nigerian telecommunication outfit, Globacom, was a night to celebrate and reward sporting excellence, also showcased superb and first-class entertainment from outstanding entertainers across different parts of Africa. There were musical performances by Shatta Wale (Ghana), Ahmed Soultan (Morocco), Salif Keita (Mali), Awilo Longomba (DR Congo) and Nigerians King Sunny Ade, Dija, Korede Bello, Flavour, Omawumi, Bez and Ego.
The crème de la crème of football administrators around the continent were in attendance.