WOW..... Mikel, Musa, Iheanacho make 30-man shortlist for African Player of the Year

Hehe....maybe one person fit win am oooo......Nigeria’s trio of John Obi Mikel, Ahmed Musa and Kelechi Iheanacho were on Saturday named among 30 nominees for the 2016 CAF African Player of the Year Award.According to the list posted on the website of the Confederation of African Football, the three Nigerians would be in contention at the award ceremony scheduled for Jan. 5, 2017 in Abuja.The three Super Eagles players will vie for the award with other top African stars like Samuel Eto’o of Cameroon, Andre Ayew of Ghana and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang,
Gabon.Mikel, who captains the Eagles and plies his trade at Chelsea of London, led the Nigerian Dream Team to win a bronze medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Brazil.On his part, Musa helped his former team CSKA Moscow to win the Russian title before moving to England in July to join reigning English champions, Leicester City, while Iheanacho is in Manchester City’s first team.For the Award of African Player of the year based in Africa, two Nigerians also made the list of 25 nominees for the award.The nominees are Mfom Udo of Enyimba FC of Aba and Chisom Chikatara of Wydad Athletic Club, Casablanca, Moroco.
 The event will take place on January 5, 2017 in Abuja.
African Player of the Year
1. Riyad Mahrez (Algeria & Leicester City)
2. El Arabi Hillel Soudani (Algeria & Dinamo Zagreb)
3. Islam Slimani (Algeria & Leicester City)
4. Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon & Antalyaspor)
5. Benjamin Mounkandjo (Cameroon & Lorient)
6. Serge Aurier (Cote d’Ivoire & PSG)
7. Eric Bailly (Cote d’Ivoire & Manchester City)
8. Yao Kouasi Gervais ‘Gervinho’ (Cote d’Ivoire & Hebei Fortune)
9. Mohamed Salah (Egypt & Roma)
10. Mohamed El Neny (Egypt & Arsenal)
11. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon & Dortmund)
12. Andre Ayew (Ghana & West Ham)
13. Victor Wanyama (Kenya & Tottenham)
14. William Jebor (Liberia & Wydad Athletic Club)
15. Mehdi Benatia (Morocco & Juventus)
16. Hakim Ziyech (Morocco & Ajax)
17. John Mikel Obi (Nigeria & Chelsea)
18. Kelechi Iheanacho (Nigeria & Manchester City)
19. Ahmed Musa (Nigeria & Leicester City)
20. Cedric Bakambu (DR Congo & Villareal)
21. Yannick Bolasie (DR Congo & Everton)
22. Sadio Mane (Senegal & Liverpool)
23. Kalidou Koulibaly (Senegal & Napoli)
24. Keegan Dolly (South Africa & Mamelodi Sundowns)
25. Itumeleng Khune (South Africa & Kaizer Chiefs)
26. Mbwana Samatta (Tanzania & Genk)
27. Aymen Abdennour Tunisia & Valencia)
28. Wahbi Khazri (Tunisia & Sunderland)
29. Dennis Onyango (Uganda & Mamelodi Sundowns)
30. Khama Billiat (Zimbabwe & Mamelodi Sundowns)
 African Player of the Year – Based in Africa
1. Dennis Onyango (Uganda & Mamelodi Sundowns)
2. Itumeleng Khune (South Africa & Kaizer Chiefs)
3. Aymen Mathlouthi (Tunisia & Etoile du Sahel)
4. Joel Kimwaki (DR Congo & TP Mazembe)
5. Joyce Lomalisa (DR Congo & AS Vita)
6. Salif Coulibaly (Mali & TP Mazembe)
7. Ali Gabr (Egypt & Zamalek)
8. Keegan Dolly (South Africa & Mamelodi Sundowns)
9. Jackson Mwanza (Zambia & Zesco United)
10. Rainford Kalaba (Zambia & TP Mazembe)
11. Elia Meschak (DR Congo & TP Mazembe)
12. Aymen Hefny (Egypt & Zamalek)
13. Morgan Betorangal (Chad & MO Bejaia)
14. Hlompho Kekana (South Africa & Mamelodi Sundowns)
15. Hamza Lahmar (Tunisia & Etoile du Sahel)
16. Jesse Were (Kenya & Zesco United)
17. Idris Mbombo (DR Congo & Zesco United)
18. Chisom Chikatara (Nigeria & Wydad Athletic Club)
19. William Jebor (Liberia & Wydad Athletic Club)
20. Reda Hajhouj (Morocco & Wydad Athletic Club)
21. Fabrice Nguessi Ondama (Congo & Wydad Athletic Club)
22. Mfon Udon (Nigeria & Enyimba)
23. Bassem Morsi (Egypt & Zamalek)
24. Khama Billiat (Zimbabwe & Mamelodi Sundowns)
25. Yannick Zakri (Cote d’Ivoire & Mamelodi Sundowns)
(NAN)