AWARDEES
OUTSTANDING ATHLETE
Ese Brume
Ese Brume is a Nigerian athlete who specializes in the long jump. She is a three-time African senior champion in the long Jump and holds a personal best of 7.17m. She is the African junior record holder in the event and also a five-time African junior champion in athletics. Nigeria won its first medal in the ongoing Tokyo 2020 Olympics when Ese won a bronze medal in the women’s long jump event.
OUTSTANDING CHILD ATHLETE
Stephanie Ogechukwu Onusiriuka
Stephanie Ogechukwu Onusiriuka started Gymnastics on her own when she was two years old, her parents discovered her talent and decided to help her achieve her chosen career, she started professionally in October 2018 with TIG Gymnastics at the National Stadium Parking B, Abuja. Her Coach Anthony Asuquo discovered she is gifted and has the zeal and passion for the sport. She participated in the African Gymnastics Championship in Pretoria South Africa 2019, where she won a Gold Medal. Stephanie’s aim is to represent Nigeria at the Olympics and other Major Gymnastics Championship.
OUTSTANDING TEAM 2021
D’Tigers
The Nigeria national basketball team represents Nigeria in men’s international basketball. In March 2021, the global governing body FIBA ranked Nigeria as Africa’s top men’s basketball nation. After the 2016 Olympic Men’s Basketball Tournament in Rio, Nigeria was ranked 16th in the FIBA World Rankings, making them the top climber in FIBA rankings from 2015.
Nigeria is the only African nation to ever qualify for the Summer Olympics through the FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament. This was accomplished at the 2012 Event when Nigeria beat the world elite teams of Lithuania and Greece. In 2015, Nigeria won its first crown as basketball champion of Africa.
OUTSTANDING FOOTBALL COACH
Florence Omagbemi
The Super Falcons legend set the record as the only woman to have won the Africa Women Cup of Nations both as a player and a coach. After winning four continental titles as captain of the Super Falcons, Omagbemi led Nigeria to their eighth triumph in the Women’s Championship back in 2016. She was shortlisted for the Best Fifa Women’s Coach in 2017, and was recognised as one of the three best coaches in Africa at the 2016 CAF Awards.
OUTSTANDING NIGERIAN INTERNATIONAL FOOTBALL ICON
Austin “Jay-Jay” Okocha
