Aubameyang Dedicates Victory To Gabon

The WINNER of the 2015 Africa Player of the Year, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, has described his victory as a pointer to the quality of football in Gabon.
The 26-year old beat Ivoirien Yaya Toure and Ghana’s Andre Ayew to the crown, the most prestigious individual award in African football.
The prolific Borussia Dortmund forward, who received 143 votes to four-time winner Toure’s 136, is the first player from the central African country to win the award.
His recognition comes despite a year without trophy success. He was captain of the Gabon team eliminated in the first round of the African Nations Cup finals in Equatorial Guinea at the start of 2015 and his club finished seventh in the Bundesliga last season.
“This award means football in Gabon is good and there’s quality in Gabon.
“I thank the people of Gabon. This award is for them. I want to thank my teammates in the national team and also at Dortmund. It is their work that helps me to score goals.”
The free-scoring forward, who was clearly delighted to claim the crown after Yaya Toure’s back-to-back wins, said he was proud with the honor and is keen on a return to the Awards next year.
“When you’re next to players like Yaya Toure and Andre Ayew, you are proud to win this trophy in front of them because they are great players that I admire a lot,” Aubameyang said.
“I will have to work, I will have to work a lot,” he said.
“I have the qualities to be there again next year. But it is hard work and sacrifice too.
“For the parents of the youth of Africa, please give your kids a chance to realise their dreams,” Aubameyang said in his acceptance speech.
Aubameyang’s father was captain of Gabon and played professionally in France. His mother is Spanish; he was born in France but raised in Italy.
Aubameyang’s emergence as Africa’s football king put paid to Toure’s dream of setting a new African record of winning five consecutive African Player of the Year Awards.
Toure had in 2014 equaled the record of four Glo-CAF Footballer of the Year Award titles held by Camerounian striker, Samuel Eto’o Fils.
Winners in other categories include Mbwana Aly Samatta, who won the Africa Player of the Year based in Africa; Allez Casa of Senegal, who won the Fair Play Award; while the National team of the year went to Cote d’Ivoire.
Former Ivoirien Coach, Herve Renard, was adjudged the Coach of the Year, while T.P. Mazembe won the Club of the year award, just as Papa Bakary Gasam was Referee of the Year.
Other award categories were the Most Promising Talent of the Year, which went to Oghenekaro Etebo of Nigeria, while the Legend Award was picked by Charles Kumi Gyamfi of Ghana and Samuel Mbapppe Leppe of Cameroon.
Cameroun took the Women National team of the Year; Abdigani Said Arab got the Football Leader of the Year award; Victor Osimhen was named the Youth Player of the Year; while Gaelle Enganamouit of Cameroun emerged as the Women player of the Year.
The International Conference Centre, Abuja, venue of the gala, was electrified by performances by Awilo Logomba from Congo, Salif Keita from Mali, Sunny Ade and D’banj from Nigeria, Shattawale from Ghana, and Black Mambazo from South Africa. Also there were Ahmed Soultan from Morocco and Nigeria’s Korede Bello, Dija, Bez, Ego, Flavour and Omawumi, among others.