NFL 25: Again, Surajudeen Lawal Bags Imo SWAN Heartland FC POTM Award

NFL 25: Again, Surajudeen Lawal Bags Imo SWAN Heartland FC POTM Award

Precious Oham

Heartland FC attacker Surajudeen Lawal has secured his second Imo SWAN Heartland FC Player of the Month award after he was named the winner for February 2025 following a keenly contested affair, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

The versatile attacker was the overwhelming choice as voted by members of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Imo Chapter, and he became the sixth winner of the prestigious award after he polled the highest number of votes to beat new signings Terdoo Shimagande and John Bassey.

Others he beat to the award include Emmanuel Charles, Christian Molokwu, Chukwuma Agor, Bobo Chibuike and Kelvin Ogunga, who all emerged as the Man of the Match in each of the eight games Heartland FC played in February.

The games played last month were against Rivers United, Katsina United, Shooting Stars, Dom Daniels, Amanda FC, OISA FC, Niger Tornadoes and El Kanemi Warriors and the shortlisted players were picked as the most outstanding of the games.

Lawal, who also won this accolade in November last year, scored four goals in February and also had an assist in the six games he played in February in all competitions.

He won the Man of the Match against Dom Daniels FC and OISA FC, respectively, with two goals apiece in both games, which steered Heartland to their first FA Cup triumph in three years.

He also assisted the goal scored by Chukwuma Agor against Shooting Stars in the League. Lawal will be presented with the award plaque and a token prize money courtesy of an anonymous sponsor on Sunday shortly before the start of Heartland versus Bayelsa United game at the Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri.

He will be the first player to benefit from the prize money that will now be a routine until the end of the season.

It should be recalled that Peters Afolayan (September), Ebuka Nwokoecha (October), Surajudeen Lawal (November), Christian Molokwu (December) and Anthony Omaka (January 2025) were previous winners of the award.

Imo SWAN Heartland FC Player of the Month Award is solely organised by Cosmos Chukwuemeka led Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, Imo Chapter with the support of an anonymous sponsor and it is to reward the most outstanding Heartland FC player every month until the end of the season when the Imo SWAN Heartland FC Player of the Season would be unveiled.

The Association said it is still open to more sponsorship from individual and corporate organisations within and outside the Imo State who are of the State origin to ensure the award experiences a rebirth with the potential sponsor(s) getting the value for their investments.