2015 Glo-CAF Awards Ceremony: SPEECH OF MR ISSA HAYATOU PRESIDENT OF THE CONFEDERATION OF AFRICAN FOOTBALL

SPEECH OF MR ISSA HAYATOU PRESIDENT OF THE CONFEDERATION OF AFRICAN FOOTBALL 
2015 Glo-CAF Awards Ceremony 
Abuja, 7 January 2016
 
-        Mr. Ministers
-        Mr. Governors
-        Gentlemen of the Executive Committee of CAF
-        Excellencies Ladies and Gentlemen of the diplomatic Corps

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-        Ladies and Gentlemen of the senior managing team of Globacom
-        Ladies and Gentlemen nominees for the Awards
-        Distinguished guests in your respective ranks and titles
-        Dear friends of the press
-        Ladies and Gentlemen
May I first and foremost salute the highest authority of the country, President Muhammadu Buhari, whom I know to be a football amateur, devoted to the development of the youth of his country and that of the continent.
 
The "Glo-CAF Awards" have now become the opening event of the Confederation of African Football's season.  The 2015 edition, which marks the return to Abuja, capital of the 1st economic power of the continent, on 7 January 2016, is no exception.
 
It is clear that the public's interest in the "Glo-CAF Awards" continues to grow. The performances of the nominees, both individually and collectively, reflect the development of African football on the continent and beyond.
 
The year 2015 has been historic for African football. On 8 February 2015, Cote d’Ivoire once again became the new Champion of Africa, at the expense of Ghana, following a competition that was remarkably organised in less than two months in Equatorial Guinea.
 
In Niamey, Mali won its first Africa Cup of Nations title at any level. That was for the U-17 category, while Nigeria won the U-20 and U-23’s both in Senegal. Madagascar also distinguished itself with a first continental title in Beach-Soccer.
 
Women’s football was not left out, with an inexperience Cameroon team, that reached the 1/8th round of the FIFA Women’s World Cup organised in Canada.
 
Other aspects of the collective progress of African football, the four representatives of the continent during the FIFA U-20 World Cup in New-Zeland crossed the first round. Two of them showed up at the semi-fanals, one stepping onto the podium with the "ballon d'or" in its line-up.
 
With the Under 17s, the World Cup in Chile came up with a 100% African final, with Africans grabbing all the individual distinctions. 

 
A partner of CAF for about a decade in the celebration and reward of excellence in African football, Globacom will begin a new contractual cycle, starting with the 2015 edition of the Glo-CAF Awards, which will run through 2018. 
 
This enterprise, whose management believes in Africa and in Africans, plays a major part in the success of this event. This is thanks to their enlightened managerial vision, the brainchild of Dr Mike Adenuga, the man behind Globacom's success. I seize this opportunity to reiterate the gratitude of the entire African football family to him, for the uncountable sacrifices he has made toward the development of football on our continent.
 
The polarisation of the media has also aroused the public's interest in the "Player of the Year" category.
 
We should justly congratulate each of the laureates being honoured tonight.
 
A special salute this year goes to the President of the Somali Football Federation, Abdiqani Said Arab, honoured in the "Leader of the Year" category. In a very complex context, he succeeds to continue hoisting football as a vector of peace, a rallying factor, a cause of hope for the Somali youth.  
 
While wishing you an excellent gala, I urge you to keep up celebrating Africa.
 
Long live African football!
 
Thank you.

By: Cafonline.com