Super Eagles winger Ademola Lookman paid a courtesy visit to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at his Lagos residence on Friday, presenting the 2024 CAF Footballer of the Year award to the Nigerian leader.
The 27-year-old, fresh off an extraordinary 2023/24 campaign, made history by becoming the second Nigerian in two years to win the coveted continental honour, following in the footsteps of Victor Osimhen, who claimed it in 2023.
Lookman’s achievements have etched his name into the annals of African football. He netted 17 goals and provided 11 assists during the season for Italian side Atalanta, capping it off with a sensational hattrick in the Europa League final against Bayer Leverkusen—a feat that secured Atalanta’s first-ever European trophy.
At the international level, he was one of the standout performers for Nigeria at the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cote d’Ivoire. He scored three crucial goals and was instrumental in Nigeria’s journey to the final, where the team finished as runners-up. Lookman was named in the tournament’s Best XI alongside team captain William Troost-Ekong.
During his visit, Lookman expressed pride in representing Nigeria and thanked the president for his support of sports development. Tinubu, in turn, praised the winger’s dedication, calling him a “national pride and an inspiration to millions of young Nigerians.”
