DOMA United duo, head coach Akinade Onigbinde and goalkeeper Kingdom Osayi, have been named winners of the League Bloggers Awards for the coach of the month and player of the month respectively in November, for their excellent run in the Nigeria Premier Football League, Saturday PUNCH reports.
Both coach and players were announced on Friday, the eve of their highly anticipated clash against former champions Kano Pillars in the Nigeria Premier Football League.
Onigbinde edged last month’s winner and Remo Stars coach Daniel Ogunmodede, Lobi Stars Eugene Agagbe and Sunshine Stars Edith Agoye.
Onigbinde guided Doma United to an unbeaten run in six matches during the month under review, a month they started by claiming bragging rights in the Gombe Derby with a 3-0 away win and concluded by sharing points against Remo Stars in Ikenne. A run which saw them rise and switch between the first and second positions on the table.
Osayi also stole the show in the process as he kept clean sheets in all the games and added two assists in the game against Gombe United. The goalkeeper beat competition from Remo Stars’ duo Sikiru Alimi and Sodiq Ismail as well as teammate Andrew Majilasa, Bendel Insurance goalkeeper Amas Obasogie and Lobi Stars Samuel Tiza.
Ahead of their first meeting against Kano Pillars in the NPFL on Saturday (today), Onigbinde and Osayi echoed the confidence Doma United have built over the last month.
“The goal is to keep up the momentum and not relax. We are not going to sleep and we know games like Kano Pillars will test our might but we have come this far because of our hard work. My players have been working as a bunch to achieve this and I dedicate the award to them, the entire member of my crew and the management,” Onigbinde said.
“Nothing can be achieved alone, so I give my teammates the credit for the efforts they put in for the team to be where we are. We will continue to give our best to sustain our momentum,” Osayi also noted.
Meanwhile, Niger Tornadoes star Bashir Usman was voted winner of the Fans Goal Of The Month award for November.
Usman becomes the second-ever Fans’ Goal of the Month award winner for his stunner against Akwa United on match-day 10 after polling 67.7 per cent of nearly 200 fan votes ahead of Kareem Ademola of Shooting Stars, Mohamed Alao of Kwara United, Akwa United’s Dare Ojo and Doma’s Emmanuel Jesam.
