Nigeria Professional Football League top scorer Junior Lokosa and Akwa United head coach Abdu Maikaba have been named the League Bloggers Awards (LBA) Player and Manager of the month respectively for the month of January.
Lokosa who stars for former league champions Kano Pillars scored six goals in the month under review to set the pace in the scorers’ chart.
For Maikaba, the former Wikki Tourists coach continued from where he left off last season when he led the side to the AITEO Cup trophy. His wards are currently top of the league table despite having a game in hand.
The pair finished head and shoulders ahead of six other nominees from LBA’s shortlist of four each in the player’s and manager’s categories.
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The Kano Pillars striker accounted for 67 percent of his club’s total goals in January. He scored six goals in six matches, only failing to score in the 0-0 draw at El-Kanemi Warriors.
It was in the game against title holders Plateau United that Lokosa netted twice to help his club to a 2-0 success. His tally ensured he won the player’s award for January ahead the trio of Samad Kadiri of Lobi Stars as well as the Akwa United pair of Victor Mbaoma and Dennis Nya who also had impressive outings in their first month at their new club.
Lokosa’s other goals came in the games against Katsina United, Nasarawa United, Rivers United and Abia Warriors.
Maikaba, on the other hand, came out tops for the manager’s award in a field that included Plateau United’s Kennedy Boboye, Ibrahim Musa of Kano Pillars and Duke Udi of Sunshine Stars.
The Akwa United head coach led his team to finish top of the log in January. His team won four out of their six matches including a 2-1 win at Tornadoes. Maikaba’s team also drew 1-1 at FC Ifeanyiubah in their last game of the month.
The only blemish for Maikaba’s men in the month under review was a one-nil defeat at Go Round FC on the second matchday of the season.
