Drogba crowned African Footballer of the Year for 2009
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Didier Drogba named African Footballer of the Year for the second time
Trunk call: Elephants' frontman was not present to personally collect the award
Didier Drogba has been crowned African Footballer of the Year for 2009. The Ivory Coast striker saw off competition from Chelsea team-mate Michael Essien of Ghana and Cameroon forward Samuel Eto'o, now at Inter Milan, to take the prize at the awards ceremony in Accra.
Drogba, who turned 32 on Thursday, claimed the honour for the second time in his career having first won it in 2006.
Drogba was not present to personally collect the award, with an official of the Ivorian Football Federation (FIF) collecting it on his behalf.
The Elephants' frontman, nominated on the final three-man shortlist alongside Essien and Eto'o, succeeds Manchester City's Emmanuel Adebayor. The winner was decided by votes from the coaches of the national associations affiliated to the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
Ghana were the other big winners on the night with striker Dominic Adiyiah picking up the Young Player of the Year award ahead of South African Kermit Erasmus of Feyenoord and Nigeria's Sani Emmanuel from Bodens BK.
Sellas Tetteh was named Coach of the Year having led the Black Stars' Under-20 side to World Cup glory last year.
There was also success for the Democratic Republic of Congo, who scooped the Africa Club of the Year and Best Player on the Continent awards in the form of Champions League winners TP Mazembe and their captain Tresor Mputu Mabi.
England's World Cup opponents Algeria were rewarded for qualifying for the finals for the first time in 24 years and reaching the African Nations Cup last four by being named National Team of the Year.