Music splash at Glo CAF Awards

Saturday, February 9, 2008 Pg. 39 (The Mirror)
From Rebecca Kwei, Lome, Togo
IT was not all about sports at the Glo CAF Awards 2007 held at the Palais de Congres in Lome, Togo as music and dance also played an important role in the success of the programme. Call it ‘sportainment’ and you will not be far from right.
Stepping on stage first was Vicky Sampson, a musician from South Africa, who put up a breathtaking performance with support from her agile and graceful backup dancers.
Then there was also the ‘home boy’, King Mensah from Togo, who dished out songs from his repertoire. King Mensah performed three songs, all rich in traditional rhythms of his country and the applause was loudest when he did a song which featured some children as his backup dancers.
King Sunny Ade was another toast of the evening with his Nigerian Juju music. His performance was taken to another height when five ladies came on stage to perform a dance more like the Mapuka dance, just that this time, they were not scantily dressed.
There was wild applause when three lovely ladies going by the name ‘Three Tons of Fun’ took the audience way back into time as they performed ‘old school’ songs. The auditorium went gay when they sang the popular song “I will survive”.
The awards ceremony, aimed at promoting excellence in African football by rewarding best African players and football administrators, was sponsored by Globacom in collaboration with the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
During the presentation of awards, Cynthia Uwak of Nigeria received the Female Footballer of the Year, Chermeti Amine — Inter-Club Player of the Year, Etoile Sportive de Sahel — Club of the Year, The Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire — National Team of the Year, Clifford Mulenga — Young Player of the Year, and Yemi Tella — Coach of the Year.
President Faure Gnassingbe of Togo was given the Glo-CAF Platinum Award for 2007. The Supporters Club of the Year went to Ghana while C. K. Gyamfi, former Black Stars Coach, received the Glo-CAF Merit Order of Achievement.
Ghana’s Abedi Pele was among the Best Ten Players of the last 50 years. The rest were Samuel Eto'o, Mahmoud El Khatib, Hossam Hassan, Roger Milla, Kalusha Bwalya, George Weah, Rabah Madjerm, Didier Drogba and Nwankwo Kanu.
Before the ultimate prize was announced, all the performers came together to sing a song after which Mali’s striker Frederic Kanoute was named as the Glo-CAF African footballer for the year 2007.
As Kanoute gently stepped on stage to receive his prize from Togo’s Prime Minister Komla Mally, who was assisted by the CAF President, Issa Hayatou, glittering confetti were showered on the stage marking the end of another exciting celebration of excellence in African football.