The atmosphere inside the Conference Palace in Marrakesh, Morocco, became charged following the announcement of Super Eagles forward, Ademola Lookman, as the 2024 African Player of the Year (POTY) on Monday evening.
The Atalanta star edged out Moroccan favourite Achraf Hakimi and three other contenders to claim the prestigious award, sparking outrage among the home crowd.
The announcement, delivered by CAF President Patrice Motsepe, led to a chaotic scene, with heightened security measures required to manage the fallout.
The 27-year-old has followed in the footsteps of compatriot Victor Osimhen, who claimed the award in 2023 as they became the first back-to-back Nigerian winners since Nwankwo Kanu (1996) and Victor Ikpeba (1997).
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Lookman has been in the form of his life in 2024, helping turn his Italian Serie A side Atalanta into title contenders and taking them to a UEFA Europa League trophy win, a first major piece of silverware for the club in 61 years.
He scored a hat-trick in the Europa League final as Atalanta became the only team in the 2023-24 campaign to inflict a defeat on German Bundesliga outfit Bayer Leverkusen as the forward provided one of the greatest final displays in European football history.
Lookman also helped Nigeria to the final of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Cote d’Ivoire 2023, where they lost to the hosts.
His displays, and three goals, did not go unnoticed as he was named in the Team of the Tournament and later finished in a decent 14th position in the Ballon d’Or award in France.
While Lookman’s achievements were widely recognized, the decision to overlook Hakimi left Moroccan fans incensed. The Paris Saint-Germaine defender was considered the favourite for the award, especially with the ceremony being held on home soil.
Following the announcement, frustrated Moroccan fans staged protests outside the venue, chanting Hakimi’s name and accusing CAF of bias. Inside the hall, tensions escalated to the point where security officials had to intervene, ensuring the safety of CAF officials.
Reports suggest President Patrice Motsepe had to leave the building through a back exit to avoid the angry crowd.
Similarly, a former International and Coordinator of the Super Eagles, Patrick Pascal speaking with our correspondent said he was confident Lookman would emerge the winner.
“Lookman emerged 14th on the Ballon d’Or and was the only African on the list, so I was confident he was going to win. Lookman performed better than the other contestants and it was going to be strange to name Hakimi who wasn’t on the Ballon d’Or list to win the award,” he said.
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