I called him Doctor Bashari Ahmad Maizare with the full information that he is yet to show up before the panel of professors called external examiners from some selected ivory towers together or assisted by some senior lecturers in his department and his faculty of the prestigious Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria for his PhD because I am exceptionally captivated and overpowered by his commitments to sports advancement in Kano as well as the country at large.
A marvel in the world of sports, Maizare is one of the best and hardworking sports administrators within both serving and retired sports administrators in Kano.
He is unarguably one of the most outstanding sports administrators and experts ever produced in the history of sports administration and sports followership in Kano state.
Until his retirement, an astute, well-informed and highly educated fellow who many described as a data bank of sports theories and happenings in the globe as he has been imparting his knowledge and wealth of experience and professionalism of sports to others in the state.
Maizare has not only taken his knowledge to the pinnacle of sports development but also been very generous in a manner he is conveying his wealth of his experience and knowledge for the development of sports in Kano state and the country as a whole.
Just recently retired as a Director of Sports in charge of Technical Department at the Kano State Sports Commission, his achievements in the field of sports has carved a niche for him among those he worked with in Sports Commission, other Directors of Sports of the federation and Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports.
And that explains why he enjoys respect among his former colleagues and also enjoys patronage among sports journalists as he is their regular resource person or consultant on various sports issues on a daily basis.
A glance into the academic and professional background of this illustration of the son of Kano state will surely make other sports administrators within and outside Kano state green with envy.
Born on June 30th, 1964 at Kofar Wambai in Kano Municipal Local Government Area, Bashari Ahmed Maizare attended Festival Special Primary School between the 1970 to 1977, Kano Teachers College (KTC) from 1978 to 1983 and the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria from 1985 to 1987 and 1989 to 1992 for his Diploma and a Degree in Physical and Health Education (PHE).
Determined to reach the zenith of his academic excellence, Maizare obtained a Professional Diploma in Mass Communication in 2000, Post-Graduate Diploma in Public Policy and Administration in 2001 all from the Bayero University, Kano.
Bashari Ahmed Maizare popularly called ‘coach’ also returned to the prestigious ABU, Zaria for his MSc Sports Management in 2010.
Maizare who is currently awaiting his certificate in Law (LL.B) from the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) is also about to be conferred with his Doctorate Degree (Ph.D.) from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria having completed his course work since and depended his research work before a team of internal examiners as well.
A recipient of many certificates, Maizare collected a Certificate of Attendance in Citizenship and Leadership Training (Shere Hills Jos) in 1992, Certificate of Attendance in Computer Training in 2003 as well as Special Arabic Certificate 2014.
Maizare has a membership of various professional bodies which include; Institute of Corporate Administration, Nigeria Institute of Management and Association of Mobile Money Agent of Nigeria.
Bshari Ahmed Maizare has to his credit various certificates of honors and recognition from the National Institute for Sports (NIS) as fellow of the Institute, Kano State Sports Council as the best Organizing Secretaries Award, Kano State Football Referees Council, Merit award and Kano State Higher Institutions Games Award.
The rest are Kano State Football Coaches Council Merit Award. Recipient, the Office of the Head of Civil Service Award, The Kano State and Nigeria Labour Congress Merit Award (NLC) and a Kano State Basketball Association Award of excellence.
A highly influential and respected sports administrator, Maizare has attended and presented several seminar papers at various forums. Among his participation are at the Confederation African de Football (CAF) High Level Referees Football Course Certificate in 1994, Confederation African de Football High Level Referee’s Course Certificate in 1991, Confederation African de Football Administrative Certificate course in 1999 and FIFA “Futuro Course” World Football Development Programme in 1994.
Others are FIFA Referees Courses. High level referees Course Certificate in 1996, International Olympic Solidarity Committee Sports Development Programme Course in 1991, and International Olympic Committee Advance Sports Management course in 2012.
Maizare also attended Coaches, Judges and Umpires seminars in 2001 by Nigeria Hockey Federation for Sports (national Workshop/Seminar, and participated in the NFA/Globacom Premier Leagues Seminar Certificate in 2002/2003 season.
Maizare had officiated 86 matches as Centre Referee and 32 matches as Assistant Referee of National Amateur League, officiated 22 matches as Centre Referee and 14 matches Assistant Referee in the Nigeria Professional/Premier League and also officiated 28 as Centre Referee and 21 Assistant Referee National Challenge/Federation Cup. He was the reserve referee of the National Final in Bauchi between BCC lions FC and Julius Berger fc in 1994.
He is national graded referee/Umpire/Judge in Football, Handball, Hockey, Table Tennis, Athletics and Gymnastics sports and games in Nigeria.
Before he reached his present top position of directorship, Maizare was Organizing Secretary of Kano State Hockey Association, Kano State Basketball Association, Kano State Volleyball Association, Kano Pillars Football Club (twice), and finally the scribe of Kano State Sports Council.
Other positions he held were Stadium Manager, Kano Pillars Stadium in Sabon Gari. Public Relations Officer, Kano State Sports Council, Secretary Nigeria ’99 Kano sub-seat, Social Ceremonial sub-committee, Secretary Ghana-Nigeria 2000 Kano Sub-Seat, Ceremonial Sub-Committee, Secretary 12th National Sports Festival–Kano 2000 Ceremonial Sub-Committee and Registrar B3 basketball academy Kano.
He was the Acting Director of Sports of Kano State Sports Council in 2016 before its nomenclature was changed to Kano State Sports Commission.
On his carrier achievements, Maizare was the winning coach of the 15th edition of late Emir of Kano, Ado Bayero Cup in 1987 in Kano with Festival Primary School Kano, as secretary of FESOC, his club won the national Tsoho Abdullahi National FESOC Football Cup in 1992 in Kaduna with IBB Babies of Kano and also won the Nigeria National Volleyball League in 1999 in Gumel, Jigawa state with the then Kano Super Stars Volleyball team of Kano.
Maizare was the secretary of Kano Pillars Football Club when the team won the Nigeria National Professional football league consecutively in 2012, 2013 and 2014.
As the Director of Sports, Maizare was the brain behind all the successes of the Kano state victorious outings at the 19th National Sports Festival in Abuja for Kano state in 2018 by winning the 71 medals which comprised 19 Gold, 27 Silver and 25 Bronze medals and which made Kano to occupied 8th position on the final medals table.
In 2021 at the 20th NSF in Edo state (Benin City) in 2021, Kano won 66 medals made up 11 Golds, 25 Silvers and 30 Bronze placed 9th on table.
During the 21st 2022 National Sports Festival in Asaba, Delta State, Kano won 77 medals comprising 20 Golds, 27 Silvers and 30 Bronze which placed Kano 7th on table.
As a Director, he was instrumental to the victory of Kano Pillars Football Club in Kaduna in 2019 for winning the Nigeria Football Federation Cup (AITEO Cup) and the Nigeria Handball Prudent Premier League with Kano Pillars Handball Club in Lagos in 2019.
Maizare attended the World Athletics Championship in Dono, Qatar in 2019 and African Athletics Championship in Asaba, Nigeria in 2018. As well as attended football and Basketball championships in Abidjan, CIV, Accra, Ghana, Niemiey, Niger Rep, Central Africa Rep, Dosolle Congo, Brazalle DR Congo, Dakar Senegal.and Cotonou Benin Rep. respectively.
He also attended and participated at the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria’s 13th Batch Course in Kano in January, 2011, Centre for management development’s course on budget and planning in Kano in 2010, Leap’s Course on Business Leadership in Kano in 2009 as well as International Associations of Athletics Federation (IAAF) Certificate of Attendance of Race Emergency Medicine Workshop in Doha, Qatar in 2019.
Bashir Maizare’s love and passion for the journalism profession is not hidden as it made him actively participate in airing radio Hausa sports programmes in Ray Power (radio) stations from 2004 to 2014. He was also a contributor with the Triumph Newspaper for 13 years 1993 – 2005 by compiling annual sports reviews for each year.
He was the Editor and publisher of the monthly Hausa Sports Magazine Kwallon Kafa for 10 years (2003 – to 2013) produce monthly. He was also the Chairman of African Youth Sports Federation (AYSOF) Kano State that organized Youth Competitions popularly called (BOSKA cup) yearly and he was the secretary of a National Amateur league Division I side, Meridian Airlines Football Club, Kano.
Maizare was the immediate past chairman States Director of Sports Forum of Nigeria, member of 6th National Youth Games Organising Committee 2021 in Ilorin, member of 21st National Sports Festival Organising Committee 2022 in Asaba Delta state and member of Scheme and Conditions of Service Committee for Sports Cadres for Nigeria Sports Sector 2022 in Abuja as well as Secretary Organising Committee for Aspira Marathon 2023 in Kano State.
Happily married with children, Maizare enjoys reading and writing.
