The
Publisher and Awards Director of New African Soccer, Tunde Adelakun, has
announced the shortlist for the April English Premier League African Player of
the Month award. This is in continuation of the awards programme that is being
done in partnership with social diaspora organisation, Africans Abroad
Recognised (AAR).
In a
statement, Adelakun announced Crystal Palace’s DR Congo forward Yannick
Bolasie, Hull City’s Senegalese striker Dame N’doye and Chelsea’s Ivorian
Didier Drogba in the shortlist.
Adelakun,
who called on media colleagues to take an active part in the voting/selection
process, stated that the Awards have been an immense success and “the
appreciation showed by the awardees has given encouragement to us to continue
the good work we are doing, which is recognising and celebrating our stars that
are performing in the Premier League”.
Given a
brief background on the shortlisted players, the Director said, “Yannick
Bolasie has had a good April. The hat trick away to Sunderland showed just how
much he could do, and how much potential he has. He has performed well in the
month and deserves his place on the shortlist”.
On Dame
N’doye, Adelakun said, “N’doye has settled well in the League, and his
performance belies his age and relative inexperience in England. He has been
unlucky not to have won the award this far. But his efforts are noted and
applauded”.
The
choice of Didier Drogba might have come as a surprise to many, but Adelakun,
who is fast being reputed for his passion for "celebrating the past in the
present to inspire the future” said “Drogba has rewritten the books of age in
football. He is 37 years old, and has started and played full 90 minute matches
for a high intensity team like Chelsea, three times in a row this month, although,
he has lost his sharp edge and pace, the fact that his body is carrying him to
do this feat at that age as a main striker, is laudable and worthy of mention”.
The
statement ended with a call on the public and media colleagues to continue to
follow the events give their opinion and, in the words of Adelakun, “give the
end to the season a climax that would usher in a more colourful awards programme
in the coming season”.
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