As Monday, May 29th 2023 is coming nearer and nearer, history is about to be made not only in Nigeria for Nigerians, but also in Kano for the entire people of Kano state.
Called Democracy Day throughout the country, May 29th date is held annually as a public holiday and as a tentative day for change of governments in the federal and some state in Nigeria.
It was the day that power was handed over back to an elected civilian government of Nigeria in 1999, marking it the beginning of the longest continuous civilian rule since Nigeria’s independence from colonial rule in 1960.
It used to be the beginning of first tenure or second tenure for most elected executive office holders in the country and also used to be the very day that power changed hands from one administration to another after a four year tenure of each first or second term respectively.
Traditionally, May 29th has been held annually as a national public holiday in Nigeria since year 2000, until June 12 when it was made public holiday in commemoration of late chief MKO Abiola June 12 victory.
But Democracy Day is a public holiday to remember and the restoration day of democracy in the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
It was initially the official democracy day in Nigeria, marking when the newly elected Olusegun Obasanjo took office as the President of Nigeria in 1999, ending many decades of military rule that began in 1966.
Here in Kano state, History is again been made when we are going to witness a new set of people with different political ideology from a new political party with the name: New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) taking over the mantle of leadership from the government of All Progressive People Congress (APC).
I was made to understand that, Wednesday, 24th of May, the chairman of the Kano State Government handing over committee who is also the secretary of the state government, Alhaji Usman Alhaji, (the Waziri of Gaya) formally presented handing over documents to the chairman of the taking over committee of the in-coming government, Dr. Baffa Bichi.
Therefore, His Excellency Abba Kabir Yusuf aka, Abba Gida-Gida will be sworn-in on Monday 29th of May as the successor of Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje who finished his second tenure in office the same day.
Therefore, I will start by congratulating His Excellency Abba Kabir Yusuf for his victory at the polls and pray for his successful inauguration on Monday 29th May 2023 and successful tenure.
As a sports analyst, I see it necessary to dedicate my this week’s column to him and forward some tips or advice which may help him and his administration to succeed and easily win a second tenure with myriads of achievements come 2027.
I am sure His Excellency is not unaware that Kano state youth contributed immensely and are the backbone of his victory at last polls. And a lot of them are unemployed while some are under-employed.
To most of us, if the administration of His Excellency, Abba Kabir Yusif is to pay more attention to sports, sports can rescue the situation by giving most of them employment.
Besides being mostly for the youth, sports is for their growth and development. It also helps in the development of their mental health and the physical fitness of their bodies.
Therefore, through their participation in sports, youth can gain various skills, experience and confidence that are helpful for developing their personality.
Sir, I want your administration to see sports as an important tool by putting it in the curriculum in our schools. This is because the school not only aims to improve youth physical abilities but also instill a sense of good sportsmanship in them.
More so, sports is essential in the life of the teeming Kano state youths because it is played between teams in a healthy competitive environment which ensures that the youth remains active and fit throughout their lives.
Sports does not only help in developing physical and mental health of youths, but it enhances their capabilities and helps them to have a better understanding of themselves.
It also helps in developing social skills and getting along with people which will also helps them to learn to interact not only with themselves but also with adults like their coaches and seniors.
Sports also improved the youth leadership and team building qualities, because it is all about teamwork. Winning and losing is all part of the game, sports is not always about winning.
While losing is a part and parcel of any game and accepting defeat in a positive competitive spirit distinguishes a true sportsperson which propels our youth to strive harder the next time to achieve what he/she missed out on the previous game.
Sports also boost self-confidence of our youth, therefore, scoring a goal, hitting a six or winning a race not only makes youth happy but also it boosts their confidence.
Apart from the above, I want His Excellency to know that sports also empowers the youths with life skills which earned them means of livelihood.
This means that if properly harnessed and coordinated, sports can provide jobs to the teeming unemployed youth in Kano which His Excellency will be proud of at the end of his first tenure.
From the above narrations, I want His Excellency to give sports a priority in his administration because of its optimum importance to the youth and the state in general.
Sir, bookmakers have divided sports into three important aspects namely: facilities, personnel and competitions.
Your Excellency sir, to develop sports in the state, there is a need to put more facilities in various locations across the state.
The present situation where all of the major sports facilities are situated in the municipality does not augur well for its development.
There is a serious need to take some of these facilities outside the municipality for even distribution and development of sports in the state.
There is a need to build more facilities for major local governments or zones like stadiums and players camping sites to attract and expose sports to youth in all locations in the state.
Your Excellency sir, facilities like swimming pools are lacking in the state and is the main reason why we have shortage of swimmers in the state, a situation which used to force the state to look elsewhere for swimmers during any national competition.
To address this situation, there is a serious need for facilities like swimming pools especially in areas where we have dams and fishermen. It will be easier to inculcate the tricks and trends of swimming in them.
In the case of personnel, bookmakers divided them into three, elite athletes (players), coaches and sports scientists. To boost and engage more participation of youth into sports throughout the state, coaches should be drafted to various locations with enough training kits and equipment.
Local government sports officers too can be of great importance to this effect. They should be directed to work with coaches to unearth abundant hidden talents across the state.
When the above (facilities and coaches) mentioned are provided, competitions like Inter-Local Government Sports, Inter-Senatorial Sports, Mini-Sports Festival, etc should be continuously organized either quarterly, after every six months or yearly.
School sports like primary schools games, inter-secondary schools games (junior and senior), and higher institution games should also be re-introduced.
To most of us, if the above are put in place and executed well, Kano state will witness sports transformation with resultant effect will be the discovery of abundant talents which will also make Kano proud.
Another area which Your Excellency needs to pay attention to is the composition of the people to administer the Kano State Sports Commission which was established on the 11th February, 2016 in place of the former Kano State Sports Council.
Having shouldered with the responsibility of coordinating sports in Kano state, the Sports Commission should be run by the people of integrity, people with genuine love for sports development and people with higher education or training in sports.
At Kano Pillars Football Club, I recommend the formation of Board members for the club with a part-time chairman. The people to be on the board should also be knowledgeable in sports and people of integrity.
A government staff member who is also highly educated in sports should also be appointed as its General Manager and Chief Executive of the club. This, to me, will do away with the bureaucratic bottleneck in the club which will make them function well and record more victories.
His Excellency, the governor-elect or the governor also needs to study sports funding in the state and the need to increase it.
His Excellency should also always approve the requests for the sponsorship of our athletes for local and international competitions. It will add their value and broaden their ability and capability.
On facilities there is a need for more sporting facilities in some selected schools within the state especially in our Local Government Areas. It will assist in taking and developing sports in all the nooks and corners of the state.
There is also the need for immediate repairs of the damaged facilities with a view to preventing further damage or decay.
The Handball, Volleyball and Para-Soccer courts at Bayero Square, Sabon Gari, and other places need intervention as most of them are in shambles. There is also a need to undertake the construction of more stadia in each of the three (3) senatorial zones of the state.
There is a need for the sponsorship of all sports personnel to courses, and maintenance of sporting facilities at appropriate institutions in the country.
Trained personnel should also be assigned or appointed to oversee these facilities and supervise their maintenance. There is also the need for the provision of the latest sports equipment to athletes and coaches in good time.
Finally, His Excellency will know that Kano state as one of the leading sporting states in Rugby, Volleyball, Basketball, Football and Handball should continue with the lead and even do more in other sports to do in other sports that Kano is lagging behind.
Allah yasa a fara a saa, ameen.