Edo Queens’ Emem Essien and Monle Oyono have been nominated for the prestigious CAF Women’s Interclub Player of the Year award, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced on Wednesday.
The dynamic duo have been standout performers for the Nigerian club, who made history in the 2023-24 season by clinching the Nigeria Women’s Football League (NWFL) Premiership title for the first time.
Essien, a prolific forward, was instrumental in Edo Queens’ triumph in the NWFL, contributing significantly to their top finish in the Super Six table.
Her exceptional form carried over into the CAF Women’s Champions League (CAFWCL) in Morocco, where she scored three goals in four matches, helping her team push through to the semifinals.
Essien’s goals came in key encounters, including the opener against CBE FC, and subsequent goals against Mamelodi Sundowns and TP Mazembe.
In addition to Essien’s attacking brilliance, Oyono’s performances in goal have been nothing short of stellar.
The experienced goalkeeper kept two clean sheets in four CAFWCL matches, managing shutouts against CBE FC and Masar during the group stages.
Her secure and composed presence at the back was essential to the club’s solid defensive record in the continental competition.
The 2023-24 season marked a historic achievement for Edo Queens, not only winning the NWFL Premiership but also securing a spot in the 2025 CAF Women’s Champions League (CAFWCL) as Nigeria’s sole representative.
Their performances at the CAFWCL, although they fell short in the semifinals, showcased the club’s growing strength on the continental stage.
In the lead-up to the 2024 CAF Awards, the Nigerian duo of Chiamaka Okwuchukwu and Flourish Sabastine have also been nominated for the Young Player of the Year award, reflecting Nigeria’s rising prominence in women’s football.
The awards will take into consideration performances from January 2024 to October 2024.
The 2024 CAF Awards will be held in Marrakech, Morocco, on December 16, and the nominees for the Women’s Interclub Player of the Year award include:
Emem Essien (Edo Queens, Nigeria)
Monle Oyono (Edo Queens, Nigeria)
Sandrine Niyonkuru (FC Masar, Egypt)
Shadia Nankya (FC Masar, Egypt)
Merveille Nanguji (TP Mazembe, DR Congo)
Lacho Flora Marta (TP Mazembe, DR Congo)
Doha El Madani (AS FAR, Morocco)
Sanaa Mssoudy (AS FAR, Morocco)
Khadija Er-Rmichi (AS FAR, Morocco)
Amogelang Motau (University of the Western Cape, South Africa)
The nominees for Club of the Year include:
Edo Queens (Nigeria)
TP Mazembe (DR Congo)
AS FAR (Morocco)
Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa)
University of the Western Cape (South Africa)
CBE FC (Ethiopia)
FC Masar (Egypt)
Aigles de la Medina (Senegal)
The nominees for Young Player of the Year include:
Chiamaka Okwuchukwu (Nigeria)
Flourish Sabastine (Nigeria)
Habiba Sabry (Egypt)
Stella Nyamekye (Ghana)
Cathy Biya (Cameroon)
Naomi Eto (Cameroon)
Valerie Nekesa (Kenya)
Doha El Madani (Morocco)
Lina Mokhtar Jamai (Morocco)
Nthabiseng Majiya (South Africa)
The 2024 CAF Awards will honor the best in African football, with the ceremony set for December 16 in Marrakech, Morocco. The awards will recognize performances from the period between January 2024 and October 2024.