CAF Awards: Amaju Pinnick Reflects On How He Influenced Ademola Lookman To Play For Nigeria

A former president of the Nigeria Football Federation, Amaju Pinnick, expressed immense pride in successfully encouraging Ademola Lookman to represent Nigeria during his term, which ended in 2022.

Ademola Lookman was honoured with the CAF Player of the Year award on Monday night, triumphing over renowned competitors such as Simon Adingra from Ivory Coast, Achraf Hakimi of Morocco, South Africa’s Ronwen Williams, and Serhou Guirassy from Guinea.

After representing England at youth levels, including a victory at the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in 2017, Lookman made a significant decision to switch his nationality to Nigeria in February 2022. He debuted for the Super Eagles against Ghana in the World Cup qualifiers a month later.

Three years post-switch, the 27-year-old has clinched the 2024 CAF Player of the Year, becoming the sixth Nigerian to achieve this and marking the seventh occasion the honour has been awarded to a Nigerian.

Pinnick recalls the efforts made to facilitate Lookman’s transition, stating, “Just before he played his first game for Nigeria, I rushed to the Ikoyi club to meet his dad to ensure I got the necessary documents personally. It required a lot of effort. While many acknowledged the role I played, I wanted it to be an organic process.”

He emphasized the pride felt for Lookman’s accomplishments and sees this recognition as a pivotal moment for even greater achievements ahead.

Lookman’s credentials on both club and international levels set the stage for his recognition. In the Europa League final in May, he scored a hat-trick that secured the title for Atalanta. This season, he has also been a key player, contributing 11 goals and five assists across 18 appearances in all competitions.

For the Super Eagles, Lookman showcased his talent during the 2023 AFCON in Ivory Coast, scoring three goals, alongside two crucial goals in the qualification rounds, despite a couple being controversially ruled out.

The excitement and pride surrounding Lookman’s achievement have resonated throughout Nigeria, with congratulatory messages from Super Eagles interim assistant coaches Daniel Ogunmodede and Fidelis Ilechukwu, as well as defender William Troost-Ekong.

Ilechukwu stated, “I join many across the globe to celebrate this incredible individual, both on and off the pitch. Congratulations, Ademola Lookman; you are an inspiration to younger generations.”

Ogunmodede noted, “You are a fantastic example for young aspirants. We look forward to even greater victories ahead, Africa’s best, Ademola Lookman.”

Troost-Ekong added, “You genuinely deserve this, brother. We are all proud of you.”

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