ANDRE DEDE AYEW CROWNED BBC AFRICAN FOOTBALLER OF THE YEAR

Ghana midfielder Andre Dede Ayew has been named the BBC African Footballer of the year for 2011.  

The Ghana international who plays his club football at French side Olympique Marseille beat four stalwarts in African football in a text poll conducted by the British Broadcasting Corporation.
 
Ayew polled more votes than Cameroon international Samuel Eto'o, Ivory Coast pair of Yahya Toure and Gervinho and Mali star Seydou Keita who plays his club football at Barcelona. 

Dede succeeds another Black Stars player Asamoah Gyan who won the award in 2010.

Ayew has been in great form for Olympique Marseille this season with nine goals in the domestic league and champions league since September when the season begun.

He could make it double delight in individual award terms after he was named in the shortlist of five for the more respected CAF African Player of the Year which will be named in Accra next week at the annual Glo African Football Awards.