The story of the maiden Nigerian Awards for Sporting Excellence (NASE) will be incomplete without mentioning the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) President, Engr. Musa Kida; FCT Sports Director, Chief (Mrs.) Dili Onyedinma; SCOA Plc Chairman, Chief Barr. Henry Agbamu; Nigeria Football Supporters Club National Chairman, Prince Vincent Okumagba; and BJ Foundation FC Chairman, Coach Douglas Idahosa.

Same goes for three teams, namely the male and female national basketball teams, D’Tigers and D’Tigress, as well as Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) reigning champions, Plateau United.

All were in the roll of honours, celebrated for winning various categories of the country’s biggest sports awards. Below is the citation of each of them as read out by the host and hostess, Grandmaster Sunny Okim and On-Air-Personality (OAP) Theresa Moses a.k.a Lady T or Tessy Gold:

SPORTS FEDERATION PRESIDENT OF THE YEAR — Engr. Musa Kida

He is a sports administrator per excellence, a thoroughbred professional with a large heart and passion for basketball development. No wonder why Nigeria’s basketball fortunes are on the rise under his watch as the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) President.

SPORTS ADMINISTRATOR OF THE YEAR — Chief (Mrs.) Dili Onyedinma

An excellent administrator, she is one of those who make things happen at the national level. Former Chairman of Nigeria Women League Board (NWLB), she is presently Director of Sports in the Federal capital Territory (FCT) Abuja.

OUTSTANDING SPORTS PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR 2017 — Chief Barr. Henry Agbamu (Chairman, SCOA Plc)

An unsung hero, he holds the distinction of being the only Nigerian who rose from playing football to become the head of a conglomerate like SCOA Plc. Though he now sits in an airconditioned office, he still breathes football, talks football and sleeps football. This lover of sport should have been a coach, not selling cars.

EXEMPLARY LEADERSHIP AWARD — Prince Vincent Okumagba

He is an oil industry player and National Chairman of the ubiquitous Nigeria Football Supporters Club, whose support helped Nigeria to qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup without the need for mathematical calculations on the calculator.

GRASSROOTS SPORTS PROMOTER OF THE YEAR — Coach Douglas Idahosa (Chairman, BJ Foundation FC, Benin City)

He is an award winning grassroots soccer tactician with a knack for spotting and polishing talents. He discovered the likes of the Super Eagles trio of Victor Moses, Elderson Echiejile and Mikel Agu, amongst others.

NATIONAL TEAM OF THE YEAR — D’Tigers/D’Tigress

Nigeria did not only take African basketball by storm this year but, indeed, emerged as an envy of the world – thanks to the patriotism and dominant displays by the Men’s National Basketball Team, D’Tigers, and their female counterparts, D’Tigress, thus the decision by the Awards Organisers to recognse them both.

FOOTBALL CLUB OF THE YEAR — Plateau United

Like the proverbial phoenix, the club rises when you tend to write it off. This is really Plateau United’s year, as the club won the Nigerian Professional Football League for the first time in their 42-year-old history.

Among those honoured during the night were tennis sensation, Aruna Quadri, mesmerizing winger, Victor Moses, veteran lethal striker Obafemi Martins, charismatic goal keeper Ikechukwu Ezenwa and goal queen Asisat Oshoala.

Others were Senate Minority Leader, Chief (Dr.) Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio; Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State; and the President/Sole Sponsor of Go-Round Football Club of Omoku, Rivers State, Bro. Felix Obuah.

It was a night of glamour and fun as the country’s biggest sports awards successfully debuted to the delight of sports stakeholders from various parts of the country who graced the event. Entertainment was provided by the Nigerian Football Supporters Club (NFSC) Band, while Comedian MC Prophecee CFR further added to the colour with his rib-cracking jokes.

Among dignitaries from the sporting community in attendance was the legendary Coach Kashimawo Laloko, former National Coach of Nigeria and Gambia, one-time Technical Director of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and currently Director of the wave-making Pepsi Football Academy.

The award ceremony was chaired by sports marketing guru, Mr. Taye Oladimeji Ige, Chairman/CEO of HotSports Network and HS Media Group, a foremost media conglomerate which is currently building the biggest TV production studio in Nigeria.

The organisers have promised to stage an even more spectacular show next year.

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