It is an undisputed and undeniable fact that all is not well for sports generally in Kano state and unless Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf come to the rescue Kano Pillars Football Club and Kano State Sports Commission will not partake or do well in the forthcoming Nigeria Premier Football League and National Youth Games respectively.
And for sure it is because of the inability of the Kano State Government to release all the needed funds for the two sports agencies to plan and run their activities according to their plans.
It is now few days to the kick-off of the Nigeria Premier Football League which Kano Pillars FC will feature and another few days to the commencement of the National Youth Games in Asaba, Delta state but up to now nothing is released to the both agencies to fully prepare and put their houses in order, a situation which is worrying both the officials, players (athletes) and even the stakeholders.
And that explained why my last week’s write-up titled: “Kano Pillars: Architects of their own financial crisis”, generated a lot of controversies and comments from various angles.
Many were disturbed and worried that a few days to the commencement of the Nigeria Premier Football League, the management of Kano Pillars Football Club was yet to put its team in order, a situation which may jeopardize the team’s survival in the upcoming Nigeria’s top class football league.
So many stakeholders are of the opinion that the inability of the Kano State Government to release all the funds needed by the club to fully prepare as a dangerous scenario to the team that just returned to the NPFL this football season.
I was in the picture of how the team was filing all its monetary requests to the office of the secretary of the state government but nothing positive came out of it.
I am also in the picture of how the club is heavily indebted due to the number of multiple funds borrowing for almost all of their activities.
Kano Pillars borrowed to fund its trips to Asaba, Delta state for their NNL Super Eight matches which they triumph as it gave them a ticket to premier league.
They also borrowed to honor their pre-season matches in Daura and Bauchi state to put their players in shape in readiness of the league and other logistics.
I am aware that the team could not even buy training kits for its players and officials, talk less of buying sportswear like jerseys, shocks, boots etc. for matches.
While I am trying to notify the danger of lack of cash Kano Pillars Football Club is swimming in to the government, another sports agency, Kano State Sports Commission which also has few days to take Kano’s athletes together with their officials to Delta for National Youth Games is facing financial difficulties.
The commission, according to my findings, is said to be in a state of confusion as less than ten days to the National Youth Games it has not received a penny for the trip.
It needed cash to pay players’ registration fees, buy sportswear’s, service their busses, fuel them and other logistics,
Both Kano Pillars FC and the Kano State Sports Commission are said to be reporting to the office of the Special Advisor to the Governor of Kano State on Youth and Sports Development for the rescue but nothing to write home about.
That is why there is an urgent need for the government to change tactics and style so that sports will get the needed attention it deserves.
As I see it now, only the governor, His Excellency Abba Kabir Yusuf can rescue the situation. He is the only person that can save these two most important agencies from failing.
That is why I am appealing to Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf to come to the rescue. The governor should not allow Kano Pillars to fall again.
To save Kano Pillars, I want Governor Abba to give Kano Pillars Football Club unlimited access to his esteemed office and try to know everything about the club.
Governor Abba’s responsibility as the governor of the state this time is to ensure that Kano Pillars take off strongly because they are in transition from the NNL to NPFL.
As a state number one citizen, Governor Abba will have to personally pick interest in Kano Pillars day to day affairs so much that the state and Nigerians will see them as the darling team of the government and the people of Kano state.
I am sure if governor Abba opens his door wide to Kano Pillars, things will change and it will give Kano Pillars FC the pride and needed motivation to do their job well and in no time bring many laurels and many trophies to Kano state.
As they move to the stage of expansionism which will lead them to consolidation stage, the government can then gradually withdraw the romance because already the mental picture as the darling of government has been created in the minds of the people of Kano and the football family of the state.
By then, the management of the club had fully understood what Kano Pillars FC meant to Governor Abba’s administration and people of Kano state. It will ultimately make them key in and do what is necessary or give way.
As the governor of Kano state, I don’t want Governor Abba to be soft with anybody that jokes with Kano Pillars FC or its activities because of what they are to him and Kano state in general.
I don’t want Governor Abba to allow the team to go down to its knees again because they are the jewels of the government and the people of Kano state.
I am appealing to the governor to release all the needed funds and other logistics to Kano Pillars just like what other states are doing to their respective teams.
For sure Kano Pillars Fc is now and will forever be synonymous with Abba Gida-Gida.
As for the Kano State Sports Commission, I want the governor to also show keen interest in their activities because that is the agency responsible for developing sports generally in the state.
I want Governor Abba to support them by funding their programmes in earnest without further delay so that they can discover and groom our lumping and unemployed youth into sports which I am sure will give employment in the nearest future.
Allah ya taimaka, amen.