SUPER Falcons striker, Perpetua Nkwocha has equaled the feat achieved by Cameroun's Samuel Eto'o after being crowned the African Women Footballer of the Year for the fourth time at the 2011 Glo-CAF Award held in Accra, Ghana on Thursday.Having won the award in 2004, 2005 and 2010, Nkwocha beat South Africa's Nompumelelo Nyandani and Equatorial Guinea's Miriam Paixao Silva to the title at the award held at the State House in Accra.With this feat, Nkwocha, who plies her trade with Swedish club, Sunnan SK has inscribed her name in Africa's football record as the first female footballer to achieve such feat just like Eto'o had won the Africa Footballer of the year award four times (2003, 2004, 2005 and 2010) in the men's version.An excited Nkwocha told journalists after the award that she was looking forward to reclaim the diadem next year before quitting the game.'I am so happy winning the award especially equaling Eto'o record because he is the only player to have won the award four times in Africa. I am so excited that I am at par with this great player. I also hope to do well next year because I plan to quit the game as well. But I am still hoping that with hardwork I can still win the award again,' she said.The former Falcons' skipper added: 'I believe Nigerian players have the quality to win the award just like I have done but they need to work hard because it is only through that they can get to the top.'Nkwocha has participated in six CAF Women's Championship winning four of them. At the 2004, Women's African Football Championship, she scored four goals in the final against Cameroun to help Nigeria win the title. She also set a record by scoring nine overall goals during the tournament and was also named the best player of the tournament at South Africa 2010 after scoring more than 10 goals.Meanwhile, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has congratulated Super Eagles former captain, Austin Okocha and Nkwocha for their honour.Okocha, one of Africa's best-known midfielder of all-time, washonoured with the African Legend award, while Nkwocha receivedthe marble for being Africa's Best Woman Player of the Year, making her the best African player of all time.'I earnestly congratulate Okocha, who is a member of the NFFTechnical Committee, and Nkwocha for their awards. They fullydeserve these honours, and we will find a way to also honour them when we return to Nigeria,' said NFF boss, Aminu Maigari.
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