Nigerian forward Babatunde Adepoju, who has been crowned 2021 Airtel Top 8 top goal scorer and player of the tournament, is still being courted by Football Association of Malawi (FAM) to play for Flames.
This was disclosed on Wednesday evening when Airtel Malawi and Football Association of Malawi (FAM) organized a prize presentation ceremony where they presented various awards for Airtel Top 8 Zamadolo 2021 Tournament.
Nyasa Big Bullets Striker Babatunde Adepoju was the biggest winner for the night by scooping the Dolo Weniweni Player of the Tournament and Dolo Wazigoli Top Goal Scorer with eight goals and he has gone home with K1 million and K500,000 respectively.
Speaking after his crowning, Adepoju who last year moved from Mighty Wanderers to Nyasa Big Bullets, said he is so thankful for the prizes and also thanked his teammates claiming without them, he would have not made it.
“Firstly, I would like to thank God for the privilege He gave me, it wasn’t easy. Last six months were very important to my career, I thank God for making this decision. I would also like to thank my family, the coaching crew and my team mates as well,” reacted Adepoju.
Speaking to the media after the event, FAM president Walter Nyamilandu said the football governing body has not given up on its plans to have Adepoju secure Malawian citizenship and feature him in Flames duties.
Nyamilandu said being that Adepoju has stayed in the country for five years, he sees no problem to have the Nigerian star in Flames squad.
“I think he has earned his right to play for the Flames, there is no way you can shut the door for the shinning star who is banging in the net. We need strikers in Malawi, we have CHAN tournament coming this year, we need talented local players.
“He stayed in Malawi for five years and we are appealing to authorities, the man has maturized, am sure he is probably married if not he is committed and he wants stay, he wants to be with us,” said Nyamilandu.
He further explained that this is not strange saying it is happening around the world and particularly in some other African countries including Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia just to mention but a few.
At the same event, Airtel and FAM presented media awards where Yasin Limu of TV Islam won the television category seconded by Romeo Umali of Rainbow TV while Photojournalist prize has gone to Bobby Kabango of Nation Publication Ltd with Lazarus Nedi of Times Group as the runners up.
Radio Journalist award has gone to Mwakhele Kaliyande of Mij FM with Frank Kandu of MBC as the runners up while the online category has gone to Benjamin Maona of Kulinji with Malawi24’s senior sports reporter Andrew Chilapondwa as the runners up.
Print Journalist award has gone to Garry Chirwa of Nation Publication Ltd and Solomon Manda of Timveni radio is the runners up and finaly Steve Liwewe of MBC has won the best commentator award deputized by Innocent Chitimbe of Timveni radio.
