Emenike, Ogu Back Moses For BBC African Best Player Award

n a bid to end the 13 year wait of a Nigerian player winning the BBC African Footballer of the Year award, national teammates of Victor Moses – John Ogu, Emmanuel Emenike, and Leon Balogun – have all rallied support for the Chelsea star who has been nominated for the award for 2017.

 

Former Nigerian captain Austin Jay Jay Okocha last won the award back to back in 2003 and 2004 and ever since only current captain of the Super Eagles Mikel Obi and former skipper Vincent Enyeama have both been nominated for the awards but they lost out.

 

And this year Moses will contend with Gabon and Borussia Dortmund’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Guinea and RB Leipzig’s Naby Keita, and Liverpool pair Senegal forward Sadio Mane and Egypt’s Mohamed Salah for the award. 

 

It’s the second time the Chelsea star will be nominated for the award. First was in 2013 where he helped Nigeria win the African Cup of Nations in South Africa. He was shortlisted alongside Mikel Obi, Yaya Toure, Jonathan Pitropa and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

 

Emenike who has since retired from international football tweeted on Sunday urging football fans to vote for his former international teammate.

 

“Vote victor on this website m.bbc.co.uk/sport/football….  Guys please let’s vote for our brother and a great player @VictorMoses,” Emenike wrote. 

 

Ogu, who scored in in his first start under Gernot Rohr in last Friday’s 1-1 draw between Nigeria and Algeria also wrote through his Twitter handle @ogujohnugo: “bbc.com/sport/football… . .. Please Follow the link and Vote for our own @VictorMoses .. Please RT.”

 

Mainz 05 defender Balogun wrote: “Nigeria, it’s time to vote. This award can only go to our brother & outstanding baller @VictorMoses – no excuses! Make sure he gets what he deserves – African Footballer of the Year 2017 must be our very own 🏽 bbc.com/sport/football…”

 

Moses has also been shortlisted for the 2017 African Football of the Year Award along the quartet in contention for the BBC African Footballer of the Year 2017.

 

Voting for the BBC award closes 6pm on the 27th November with the winner of this year’s award to be announced on Monday 11 December.