Honorary Doctoral Degree award to Galadima

Sunday, the 30th of the month of October last year will forever remain as an historic and memorable day for all Kano state indigenes, especially sports lovers and followers. And this was due to the significant and unforgettable event that happened on that particular day.

It was the day that Alhaji Ibrahim Galadima, the executive chairman of the Kano State Sports Commission and acting chairman of Kano Pillars football Club was honoured with a Honorary Doctoral Degree in Sports Management by the management of El-Roi London University along with five others.

In fact it was said that nothing can beat the feeling of Galadima for receiving or being honoured from such an international University right before his people and in the presence of his state number one citizen and in his home state.

The crowd was large and huge and to describe it as unprecedented would not be far from the truth. The coronation hall, the expansive venue of the event in the Kano Government House, that hosted many big events was filled to capacity with people of refutes from different walks of life.

One will not be surprised with the mammoth crowd that witnessed the impressive occasion because of the fact that Galadima is well known as a man of his people.

The Village Head of Fagge, Galadima  had served  and distinguished himself in various fields of sports helmsman ship in and outside the state for decades. And his greatest dream is to see governments at various levels give greater priority to sports development.

Ibrahim Galadima’s rise to prominence was however not gotten on the platter of Gold but through hard work and passion to succeed as his fame was exposed during the second republic when he served as the executive chairman of the then Kano State Sports Council in 1981.

Galadima, a respected monarch and the chairman of National Sports Institute, Logos, had held several key sports positions in various places both within and outside the state.

He was the commissioner of works supervising sports which gave him the opportunity to initiate and establish many sports infrastructures and facilities in Kano state.

During his reign as the commissioner supervising sports,  the Kano Pillars Football Club was established in 1990. He conceived and made the idea of erecting the Sani Abacha In-Door Sports Hall and the Sani Abacha Sports Complex reality in 1999.

Galadima experience in sports management cuts across various sporting organizations as was the chairman of the Nigeria Football Association (NFA), vice chairman, Nigeria Olympics Committee, chairman, Kano Sub-seat Nigeria’99 Junior World Cup, chairman, Kano Pillars Continental Committee as well as chairman, Presidential Football 10 year Development Plan for Nigeria.

During his tenure as NFA chairman i.e. from 30/11/2002 to 18/7/2006, Ibrahim Galadima recorded tremendous successes as Enyimba FC of Aba won CAF Champions Leagues in 2003 and 2004.  Enyimba also won the CAF Super cup in 2003 and 2004.

In fact, Galadima’s era was marked as one of the best as Nigeria won a plethora of trophies. First was the Nigéria U-23 that won the 4-Nations tourney in Niger Rep. in December, 2002. The second was the Nigéria Falcons won WOFAN in Delta in 2002. Then Nigéria Falcons again repeated history in far away South Africa when it won WOFAN in 2004 for the second time.

Nigéria’s U-23 (Women) won Gold Medal in All Africa Games again in Abuja while Nigéria Super Eagles won 4-Nations LG Cup in Nigéria in 2004 and Nigéria won U-20 (men) African cup in Cotonou in 2005.

On the Africa’s representation, the country also got highest representation than any time as the Nigéria U-19 (women) qualified to World Cup and represented Africa  in Canada in 2004, Nigéria U-20 (Men) qualified to world cup and represented Africa in Netherland in 2005 which they clinched 2nd position.

It was in Galadima’s era that Nigéria discovered young and promising footballer, Mikel Obi which made him the 2nd most decorated footballer for Nigéria. Nigéria U-17 (men) also qualified to represent Africa in the world cup in Finland in 2003.

Another achievement of Ibrahim Galadima was the inauguration of Nigeria Premier League Limited NPFL for Men in 2002/2003 and same body for women in 2004/2005.

And in 2005, Galadima inaugurated an independent NPFL board from NFA with Barr. Victor Baribote as its first chairman.

Here in Kano we will not easily forget the staging of many international matches in the state as he used his position to staged the Nigéria vs Senegal, the U-23 Olympic qualifier match in Kano 2004 and the  Nigéria vs Angola (1-1) world cup qualifier 2006 in Kano.

Galaddima also approved the appointment of  Coach Abdu Ahmad Pele, an indigene of Kano as an assistant coach of U-20 national side, the opportunity that made coach Pele to discovered Sani Haruna Kaita to limelight and for Nigéria U-20  before moving to the Nigéria Eagles in 2004 and South Africa 2010 world cup 

Galadima also appoints Coach Abdu Maikaba another Kano indigene as welfare officer of Nigéria U-17 soccer team as well as  Alh Kabiru Baita as welfare officer of Nigéria U-20 for the world cup in Netherland in 2005.

Also during his NFA chairmanship, Galadima sent proposals to the world football governing body, FIFA on its working Statutes. FIFA ratified the Statutes and the election into the Executive Committee of the Nigeria governing federation in 2006 was conducted in line with the Statutes. Galadima also named and appointed seven indigenes of Kano state as an NFA 10 Man standing Committee  namely; Dr Nuhu Nasidi, late Hon Danlami Hamza, Dayyabu S Taura and Garba Bello Kankarofi.

The rest were Engr Kabíru Khalil, Isyaku Muktari Kura and Miss Jamila Buhari.

 In fact Galadima’s contributions to sports development are endless and that will make one not be surprised with the crowd that came in hundreds from different works of life to grace the occasion with a number of  goodwill messages.

 Among the notable personalities that graced the occasion were Alhaji Mahmoud Ado Bayero, the District Head of Fagge, new NFF President represented by Alhaji Sharu Ahlan Rabiu, President Nigeria Volleyball Federation, Engr. Musa Nimrod, Prof. Kamilu Sani Fagge, Prof. Umar sani Fagge, Prof. Umar Jibrin Faruk, Prof. Rabiu Muhammad and Prof. Musa Garba AA.

Others are Prof. Sani Sufi, Alhaji Garba Kankarofi, some members of the state executive council, some members of the state House of Assembly among many others.

The event which was chaired by His Excellency Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, the Governor of Kano state was represented by his deputy Nasiru Yusif Gawuna. Governor Ganduje described Galadima as a real sports administrator and congratulated him for the award.

The governor added that he was not surprised with the award as the state has been recording victories in various sporting events and activities by winning medals and trophies since Galadima assumed the chairmanship of the sports commission.

While speaking, Galadima who was short of words, was thankful and full of praises for the awarding institution and the entire people that graced the occasion.

It is in the recognition of this I joined all and say congratulations.