Immediately after the 2nd National Para Games ended in Abuja last week, the Kano State Chapter of the Sports Writers Association had released a one-man signed Press Release. I called a one man signed Press Release because it was signed by only Zaharaddeen Sale, the chairman of SWAN in Kano.
And to be candid, I faulted the way it was presented because that was not how a press release of an association of some learned individuals like SWAN was supposed to be presented or looked like.
To most of us, since a press release is a tool made to announce something that is newsworthy in the most objective way possible, then it should be written and presented in a correct way.
Thus, a document of this nature especially from an association like SWAN must follow a laid down rule of writing it and the widely accepted practice of releasing a document of that nature and from the people of that greatness, is to be signed by more than one person. This is because it is the position of the congress.
Nevertheless, the did has been done and as my headline depicted, there are some places that I agreed with Zaharaddeen Sale’s release and also some other places where I disagreed with him.
Kano SWAN’s first recommendation was asking the government to thoroughly investigate the committee that was saddled with responsibility of funding the contingents to uncover the reason for delay and insufficient funding of the athletes in the just concluded 2023 Abuja Para Games.
The SWAN also wanted the government to henceforth appoint a technocrat as the Commissioner of Sports Development. The individual to be appointed according to Kano SWAN, should possess expertise and experience in sports management by ensuring effective decision-making and implementation of government policies.
Kano SWAN similarly, alleged poor sports structure in Kano which according to them resulted in a significant challenge for the development of sports in the state.
Kano SWAN also advised the government to appoint a Special Adviser on Sports because according to them it will serve as a link between the government and the sporting community, offering valuable insights, recommendations, and acting as a voice for the interests of the athletes and sporting associations.
Kano SWAN was particularly aggrieved with insufficient and poor funding of Kano Team in the just concluded Abuja Para Games which to them spoiled the chances of better performance.
Kano SWAN wants the government to be serious on sports facilities such as stadiums, arenas, training centers, and playing fields which are essential for promoting and nurturing sports talent.
Kano SWAN was of the opinion that with the availability of such infrastructure, athletes and sports enthusiasts will have the opportunity to train and compete in a professional environment. This according to SWAN will not only motivate the existing athletes to perform better but also attract more individuals to take up sports.
Kano SWAN also observed that having well-equipped sports facilities will also open up the possibility of hosting national, regional and even international sports events which according to Saleh’s release will boost tourism and generate revenue for the local economy.
Let me start by commending Kano SWAN for being bold for the first time by calling a spade a spade. I am highly elated by this laudable and commendable effort.
And I hope that Kano SWAN will continue to be the society’s watchdog by commending/condemning any action that warrants either of the two.
My only worries are for Kano SWAN not to be blind and kept quiet when other unforgivable atrocities were committed in other sports sectors. (The case of the Kano Football Association election is still fresh in my mind).
Their hammer should not be selective but fall on any sports administrator who was found wanting,
And my first question to Kano SWAN is, if there was any committee for the Abuja trip and if there was any, SWAN should clearly have mentioned the evil doers and the evil roles they played from day one up to the last day. I don’t see any reason why these wicket people should not be exposed.
To me, as a conglomeration of journalists who were in Abuja and saw how our athletes and others suffered, I don’t see any reason why Kano SWAN should not expose the Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s government saboteurs. We should have their names boldly written and exposed so the government will deal with them.
On the appointment of a technocrat as the Commissioner of Sports Development, I am fully in support of this advice and also want to inform Kano SWAN that the state is blessed with many PhD in Sports Management holders.
We have many of them in the Bayero University, Kano, Federal College of Education Kano and Sa’adatu Rimi College of Education. Even in the Ahmadu Bello University, we have two senior lecturers Dr. Sani Bichi and Dr. Sani Dambatta who are all of Kano state origin.
We also have PhD in Sports Management holders outside academia. Dr. Bashir Ahmad Maizare, a director who just retired from service last year and Comrade Sani Ibrahim Fagge, the present secretary of Kano Pillars Management Board is on the verge of completing his as he is only waiting for the date of his thesis external defense to be fixed.
The appointment of these I mentioned above will surely see genuine technocrats at the helm of affairs of our sports and also ensure effective decision-making and implementation of government policies because they are all learned, tested and trusted.
Kano SWAN also alleged poor sports structure in Kano which according to them is a significant challenge for the development of sports in Kano State. Here Kano SWAN needs to make clarification on what they meant by poor sports structure in the state.
I thought they would talk about our dormant or incapacitated ministry of sports, as the ministry is there without a political head to move it to greater heights. The person acting as its head now is too occupied with his rural development ministry activities.
SWAN should press for a quick representation of sports in the state executive council. To me, a commissioner to head sports should be appointed as quickly as possible.
On the appointment of a Special Adviser on Sports, I am also with Kano SWAN because he has a lot to do especially now that the government has appointed any since the sacking of the last SA sports.
SWAN also talked about the provision of sports infrastructure in Kano state because to them facilities such as stadiums, arenas, training centers, and playing fields are essential for nurturing and promoting sports talent.
This is good but I thought the government is planning to build more stadiums especially in all the new emirate councils. The government also pledged to totally renovate Sani Abacha and Kano Pillars stadium as contained in the 2024 budget.
But one area I disagreed totally with Kano SWAN, was their commendation of the Acting Chairman of Kano State Sports Commission. I faulted SWAN commendation on the Acting Chairman for a job well-done.
In fact, I see the Acting Chairman as the culprit, architect and brain behind all the suffering of both the athletes, officials and other people that accompanied Team Kano in Abuja.
To most of us, a good leader is one who has his people at his heart and is always ready to assist his people. A good leader is a good planner and with foresight.
If truly the governor had approved some money for the trip. What prevents the Acting Chairman from going and source for the funds the same way Kano Pillars FC is doing to bankroll their trips outside the state. To me, the Acting Chairman is more interested in power than action
From the beginning the Acting Chairman never told anybody about the N9 million he collected from the government. All we heard from Abuja through the various media sports programs and stories was that the government did not release funds for the trip.
It was the news of the paucity of funds that were reported by various pressmen in their respective media houses and its negative consequences to the athletes and officials that forced the Acting Chairman to openly acknowledge the receipt of N9 Million before the trip.
This is a bad leadership style. A leader must be truthful, sincere and upright at all times.
And I am happy that even Kano SWAN acknowledged these shortcomings and inadequacies and even called on the government to appoint a substantive Chairman for the Sports Commission.
And that explains why SWAN proposes the appointment of a knowledgeable and dedicated professional who can provide strategic guidance and oversight to the sports development initiatives in Kano better than what the Acting Chairman is doing.
The third position the acting chairman is celebrating with 9 Gold, 5 Silver and 6 Bronze totaling 17 medals is nothing to write home about as Kano state did better than that in the last edition.
I remembered that Kano hauled 21 Gold, 13 Silver and 8 Bronze totaling 42 medals in the Ist Para games in Abuja last year.
Even the paltry amount the acting chairman approved for the pressmen that accompanied the team was too small and inadequate.
The reporters need to eat and transport themselves to various centers. They then wrote their respective reports and voiced or mailed them to their respective stations.
They need a lot of data or airtime to do that and I don’t see how they can effectively perform their tasks with that amount. The amount must be revised.
Honestly, I don’t see anything worthy of commendation from the Acting Chairman. His style of leadership is bad and needs to be changed.
