Oraganisers of the AIT Football Awards have said that a total of 17 awards would be presented to deserving winners during the 2nd edition of the awards ceremony holding at the Presidential Hotel in Port Harcourt on March 8.

READY ••• Members of the Award Panel, (L-R) Ikeddy Isiguzo, Fela Bank-Olemoh, Paul Bassey, Aisha Falode, Waidi Akanni and Ehi Braimoh of Neo at the conference .

In a signed message released yesterday, the organisers said that the show would not be about football alone, noting that there will be fun, music and dance to spice up what promises to be an entertaining showpiece.

Interestingly, three of the players gunning for the prestigious Footballer of the Year 2010, Osaze Odemwingie, Vincent Enyeama and Kalu Uche, have all notified organisers of their readiness to be present at the ceremony.

Head of Sports, AIT, Aisha Falode promised that the Awards Night would be grand just as Chairman of the Awards Panel, Paul Bassey said that he was happy working with egg-heads in sports which places the AIT over any other award in Africa. Managing Director of Neo Media and Marketing, Ehi Braimoh named Arik Air and Tom Tom as the official airline and candy of the AIT awards.

Their presence, organisers said yesterday, would add colour and glamour to the show, expected to attract a host of distinguished Nigerians.

As regards the credibility of the award, they emphasised that the credibility of awards most times are attached to the personae involved in its activation, which made them to carefully select credible persons, with sound knowledge of the game to be on the panel of judges list.

They have deliberately retained the panelists used during the maiden edition of the awards.

“The Award Panel remains intact, headed by Mr. Paul Bassey with the following highly distinguished members comprising Mrs Nneka Ikem Anibeze, Ikeddy Isiguzo, Mumini Alao,.Mitchell Obi, Dudu Orumen, Fela Bank Olemoh and Waidi Akanni

They also said that plans have beencompleted to institute a posthumous award, as well as a Special Recognition award.