Super Eagles forward Ademola Lookman clinched the coveted African Player of the Year (POTY) award, edging out Moroccan star Achraf Hakimi in Marrakesh, Morocco.
The announcement, made by CAF President Patrice Motsepe, sparked an uproar among Moroccan fans present at the Conference Palace, culminating in a tense situation that required heightened security measures.
Lookman's triumph came on the back of a stellar year, where he played a crucial role in Atalanta's historic UEFA Europa League victory, including a hat-trick in the final against Bayer Leverkusen.
He also shone for Nigeria during the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Ivory Coast, netting three goals and helping the Super Eagles secure a silver medal after a narrow 2-1 loss to the hosts in the final.
While Lookman's achievements have been widely celebrated, the decision to overlook Hakimi left Moroccan fans furious.
Hakimi, who has been a standout performer for Paris Saint-Germain and a key figure for Morocco's national team, was seen as the favorite to win the award, especially with the ceremony taking place on home soil.
Outside the venue, angry Moroccan fans gathered to protest the decision, chanting in support of Hakimi and accusing CAF of bias.
[Almountakhab](https://www.almountakhab.com/node/16207665#) reported that tensions escalated to the point where security had to intervene, forcing CAF President Patrice Motsepe to exit the building through the back door to avoid the crowd and the fallout from his actions.
The controversy has reignited debates about transparency and fairness in CAF's awards process.
For many Moroccan supporters, the exclusion of Hakimi felt like a betrayal, with some dubbing it 'the robbery of the Golden Ball'.
Adeyemi Adewale
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