NPFL23 Awards: Obioma, Ogunmodede win big as Remo Stars dominate

Former Enyimba ace Chukwuemeka Obioma and Remo Stars Coach Daniel Ogunmodede were among the big winners as the League Bloggers Awards was held for the NPFL23 season.

Talented striker Obioma was awarded as the league’s striker of the year and Player of the Year after he scored 16 goals to win the Golden boot and propel Enyimba to a record-extending 9th league title.

Remo Stars were well represented on the Podium as coach Ogunmodede won the league’s Coach of the Year award after leading Remo Stars to a best-ever finish of second place and a place in the CAF Champions League for the first time ever. The club’s captain Nduka Junior was named as the Defender of the Year, and goalkeeper Kayode Bankole was the Goalkeeper of the Year.

Dazzling winger Joseph Atule, formerly of Lobi Stars, was voted as the midfielder of the year after an impressive season with the Makurdi-based side. The wide man has since joined Enyimba, where he has got off to a flying start.

Bayelsa United striker Robert Mizo turned heads in his debut season in the league and was duly voted as the Rookie of the Year, with Rivers United’s Liberian winger Albert Korvah named the Foreign Player of the Year.

Plateau United academy star Umar Bala was named as the Young Player of the Year. The 15-year-old midfielder was named as the MVP as his side finished in second place at the NPFL U-15 Championship.

LBA Best XI of the season:

Goalkeeper: Kayode Bankole (Remo Stars)

Defenders: Ebube Duru (Rivers United), Nduka Junior (Remo Stars), Sodiq Ismail (Remo Stars), Benjamin Tanimu (Bendel Insurance)

Midfielders: Divine Nwachukwu (Bendel Insurance), Joseph Atule (Lobi Stars/Enyimba), Morice Chukwu (Rivers United), Ikenna Cooper (Enyimba)

Strikers: Robert Mizo (Bayelsa United), Chukwuemeka Obioma (Enyimba).