Lobi Stars striker, Anthony Okpotu on Saturday in Ibadan, was presented with the third Rashidi Yekini Golden Boot award for emerging the highest goal scorer of the 2016/2017 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) season.
The award was presented to dreadlocked Okpotu at a colourful ceremony held at the media centre of the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Ibadan, and witnessed by creme dela creme of football personalities within and outside Oyo State, including one of the daughters of the late Victoria Setubal of player, Yemi Yekini.
The award which is instituted in honour of the late Super Eagles striker, Yekini was previously won by former Warri Wolves striker, Gbolahan Salami and ex-Wikki Tourists forward, Godwin Obaje last season.
Okpotu also received N100,000 cash prize aside the Golden Boot courtesy of the Rashidi Yekini Foundation (RYF).
Speaking after receiving the award, Okpotu showered encomiums on the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) winner.
“Yekini to me is a living legend who makes goal scoring easier during his playing days. I didn’t have the opportunity of watching him as a player, but for ‘YouTube’, where I was able to watch him in action.
“He remains Nigeria all-time highest goal scorer but we have not celebrated him the way it should be. I thank the organisers for initiating this award that has served as a platform to celebrate this soccer hero every year.
“I am happy to win this award and I want to do more next season. This is a challenge and I hope to score more than 19 goals next season God willing,” said Okpotu, a member of the Super Eagles who won the silver at the just-ended WAFU Africa Cup of Nations in Ghana.
Meanwhile, Oyo State Sports Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Barrister Yomi Oke, congratulated the winner of the Golden Boot award, Okpotu, just as he urged him to look beyond the award and give his best on the field of play come next season.
Also, ex-international, Dr Felix Owolabi (MON), lauded RYF for organising the programme as annual event, just as he charged the football authorities in
Nigeria to put a proper structure in place to groom young talents. Owolabi, winner of the 1980 AFCON also charged budding sportsmen and women in the country to think of life after retirement saying, “our athletes need to combine education with sports to enhance their standard of living”.
Chairman of Rashidi Yekini Foundation, Barrister Jubril Mohammed, expressed joy at the recognition accorded the late African Footballer of the Year by the turn out of people at the event.
Discussion about this post