Important for me to bring CAF award back home - Ademola Lookman on Lagos visit

Super Eagles star Ademola Lookman has expressed deep pride in returning to Nigeria with the CAF African Footballer of the Year award, describing the moment as one of the most meaningful of his career.

Lookman was celebrated during a visit to Lagos, where he presented the award to President Bola Tinubu.

“It was really important for me to bring this award back home. I’ve been cradling it all day,” Lookman to Arise TV.

“Bringing it back to Lagos means everything. That’s where I brought it back to, and today, I had the honour of presenting it to the President. That meant a lot," he added.

The 27-year-old forward, who switched international allegiance from England to Nigeria, has enjoyed a meteoric rise over the past year.

During his visit to Lagos, Lookman was also welcomed by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who hailed him as a symbol of the “Greater Lagos Rising” spirit and an inspiration to millions of young Nigerians.

Lookman made an emotional return to Phase 2, the community where he spent part of his childhood, reflecting on the journey that brought him back to Nigeria with continental football’s highest individual honour.

Born in London, the Super Eagles winger represented England at youth level before committing to Nigeria in 2022 for his senior international career.

He was a member of the squad that finished second at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.

Lookman has scored eight goals in 29 appearances for the Super Eagles and was one of Nigeria's standout performers at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast.