Babangida’s 100 Days: A promising start, notable progress, but…

The first 100 days of the present administration of the Kano State Sports Commission, led by Executive Chairman Muhammad Tukur Babangida, have provided evidence of an ambitious drive to revitalise sports in Kano State.

Within the period under review, Kano athletes participated in several competitions and recorded notable performances, winning medals, earning recognition and securing opportunities to represent the state and the Northwest Zone in various national competitions.

Among the notable achievements was the performance of three Kano para-athletes at the Governor of Abia State Para Powerlifting Championship, where they returned with one gold and one silver medal.

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Team Kano karate athletes also recorded a strong performance at the 2026 Japanese Ambassador Championship in Abuja, winning one gold, six silver and nine bronze medals.

The Kano Under-17 Volleyball team emerged champions of the National Volleyball Cup in Gumel, Jigawa State, while Team Kano Roller Skating recorded four gold, six silver and six bronze medals to claim the overall trophy.

Kano also recorded notable achievements in golf. Lady Rahama Inusa won the Captain’s Tournament, Jummai Pairs won the Ladies’ Trophy in Abuja, while Abdulwahab Aminu participated in the “Practice with a Purpose” course in Abuja.

The performance of Team Kano at the 2026 Northwest Zonal Eliminations for the National Intermediate Games and the National Sports Festival is particularly significant.

At the Intermediate Games qualifiers, Kano competed in seven team sports, emerged champions in three and qualified in the remaining four, securing qualification in all the events it entered.

Similarly, at the Northwest Zonal Team Games Eliminations for the National Sports Festival, Kano participated in five sports, emerged champions in two and qualified in the other three.

The results represent qualification in all the team sports events participated in and provide a measurable basis for assessing the early performance of the present administration.

Beyond athletes’ performances, the administration has also placed emphasis on technical capacity development.

According to my findings, Coaches Aminu Hassan and Mamufa were sponsored to participate in Nigeria Judo Federation coaching courses in Abuja, while Coach David Egbume took part in a Nigeria Gymnastics coaching course.

These developments indicate that the administration’s focus extends beyond winning medals to developing coaches and other technical personnel who are essential to the long-term growth of sports in the state.

From the achievements recorded within the first 100 days, the Tukur Babangida-led commission can, without fear of contradiction, be commended for making a promising start.

However, the commission needs to sustain and strengthen these efforts by setting its sights beyond national competitions.

Kano has a long history of participating in and making an impact at African and sub-regional sporting competitions.

The commission should therefore explore opportunities to return the state to that level by supporting athletes and teams to compete in major West African, African and other sub-regional competitions.

Such a move would provide Kano athletes with greater exposure, experience and opportunities to compete at higher levels while helping to restore the state’s presence on the continental sporting scene.

However, despite these achievements, two major concerns have emerged that require the attention of the Babangida-led administration.

The first is the reported failure of some senior members of the commission’s management (especially those on postings) to regularly report for duty as required under the conditions of service.

If any management staff member fails to comply with official directives or attendance requirements without valid justification, the matter should be handled in accordance with established procedures.

Where necessary, the case should be referred to the Office of the Head of Service for appropriate administrative action.

Addressing such issues promptly and transparently would help strengthen discipline, accountability and effective administration within the commission.

The second concern is the reported failure to carry out what stakeholders describe as a comprehensive reshuffling of the commission’s workforce.

Findings by Sportseye indicate that Executive Chairman Muhammad Tukur Babangida has faced pressure from some quarters over proposals to redeploy certain members of staff who have remained in the same departments, units or sporting associations for several years.

Sources familiar with the situation said some lobbyists have been urging the chairman to retain certain personnel in their current positions, despite the normal administrative practice of periodically transferring staff from one assignment to another.

Stakeholders who spoke on the issue argued that prolonged retention in the same positions could limit the effectiveness of the commission if staff are not periodically exposed to new responsibilities and working environments.

Some also alleged that certain personnel have remained in their positions for so long that their continued deployment may no longer serve the broader interests of the commission.

Routine staff transfers are intended to expose employees to the operations of different departments, units and sporting associations.

Such transfers can provide staff with new experience, broaden their knowledge and prepare them for greater responsibilities.

Stakeholders interviewed for this report expressed concern that some staff members who have remained in the same positions for years may have become overly familiar with their assignments, potentially limiting fresh ideas and wider institutional experience.

Sources also told Sportseye that some employees have remained in the same units for five years, 10 years or even longer, raising questions about staff rotation, productivity and institutional development.

The investigation further revealed allegations that some individuals within and outside the commission have used their influence to lobby against the transfer of certain staff members.

If sustained, such interference could make it difficult for the commission’s leadership to implement a structured staff rotation policy and pursue administrative reforms it considers necessary.

For the Sports Commission to achieve its objective of revitalising sports in Kano, stakeholders say the leadership needs sufficient administrative freedom to deploy its workforce based on institutional needs, while ensuring that all staff, regardless of their connections, are subject to the same rules and conditions of service.

Babangida’s leadership therefore needs to shun favouritism, maintain a transparent, professional and merit-based system of staff deployment.

Where there is a genuine need for redeployment, promotion, and reassignment or restructuring, such decisions should be based on competence, experience, performance, institutional requirements and the overall interest of Kano State sports.

The commission should also establish clear performance indicators for directors, heads of departments, coaches and other key personnel.

Each department should have clearly defined responsibilities, annual targets and measurable deliverables, supported by periodic performance reviews.

Such a system would enable the leadership to objectively determine where personnel are performing effectively and where improvement, additional training, reassignment or other administrative action may be required.

It would also reduce the likelihood of administrative decisions being interpreted as personal or politically motivated and strengthen institutional accountability.

There is also a need for the leadership to strengthen internal communication and stakeholder engagement.

Staff, sports associations, coaches, athletes and other stakeholders should have appropriate channels through which they can present concerns, proposals and recommendations.

Similarly, external individuals, sponsors, former officials and other stakeholders who genuinely want to contribute to the development of Kano sports should be encouraged to do so through constructive and institutional channels rather than through interference in routine administrative decisions.

Grassroots Development: Another important priority should be the continued development of grassroots sports and talent identification.

The medals and championships recorded during the administration’s first 100 days should not be treated merely as isolated successes.

The commission needs a sustainable system for identifying promising athletes from schools, clubs, local government areas and sports associations, followed by structured coaching, medical support, competition exposure and regular monitoring.

Such a system could create a clear pathway from grassroots participation to state, national and international representation.

The commission should equally give greater attention to the welfare of athletes and coaches, maintenance and utilisation of sports facilities, provision of sporting equipment, technical education and regular participation in competitions.

The administration should also consider publishing periodic performance reports, possibly quarterly, detailing competitions attended, medals won, athletes developed, coaches trained, facilities improved, grassroots programmes implemented and other measurable achievements.

Such reports would provide the public with objective evidence of progress and enable stakeholders to distinguish between documented institutional challenges and unverified allegations.

Most importantly, the Kano State Sports Commission should be allowed to operate within the framework of government policy and applicable civil service rules, while having sufficient administrative space to discharge its responsibilities.

The concerns surrounding alleged external interference should be treated as an opportunity to strengthen the institution rather than as a reason for confrontation.

The administration’s first 100 days have produced reported sporting and technical achievements, including medals, championships, qualification in team sports at relevant Northwest zonal eliminations and professional development opportunities for coaches.

The next phase should therefore focus on institutionalising these gains through transparent and merit-based staff deployment, performance management, grassroots talent development, athlete and coach welfare, facility improvement, stakeholder engagement and regular public accountability.

The long-term test will not be the number of medals won during the first few months, but whether the administration can build systems that continue to produce athletes, coaches and sporting achievements beyond the tenure of the current leadership.

For Kano sports to make sustained progress, institutional systems must ultimately become stronger than individual personalities, connections or temporary administrative arrangements.