On the first of this month this year, I was favored to have a duplicate copy of the letter which the secretary of the Kano Pillars Football Club Management Board, Comrade Sani Ibrahim aka Coach addressed and mailed to Mr. Davidson Ezenwa, the Chief Operating Officer of the NPFL Abuja Nigeria.
The letter titled: Challenges/Constraints that may hinder Kano Pillars from traveling to Aba in Abia state for Week 28 National League encounter with Enyimba International Football Club was a clear indicator that there is trouble in the house.
“I am compelled to write and draw the attention of your good office and to honorably inform you that Kano Pillars is facing serious Challenges/Constraints that may hinder its planned journey to Abia State as expressed above,” the letter reads.
“However, while anticipating a simple resolution today Monday 1st April 2024, the board feels it imperative to inform the organizers of the NPFL about the current predicaments so that necessary arrangements may be put in place for rescheduling the match.
“Therefore, while the Board is fully aware of the logistics and implications involved, Kano Pillars in fairness are expected to shoulder the responsibilities of such unforeseen circumstances that might have been experienced previously under NPFL,” it added.
“Finally, the management is deeply concerned and felt very sorry for the inconvenience that this might have caused,” the letter concluded.
As far as I am concerned, Sani Ibrahim’s letter was vague and dubious on the grounds that it neglected to plainly express the genuine justification for why Kano Pillars were arguing for their match to be rescheduled or delayed.
More so, the letter was truly expected to be addressed to the number one citizen of Kano state, Engr Abba Kabir Yusuf to illuminate him every one of the reasons and issues obstructing the smooth running of the club since he is the top of the public authority and their bosses.
Unless they are concealing something or have a skeleton in their cabinet, the first person to be fully aware of the issues Kano Pillars is facing or swimming should be the governor, not any other person.
Because for sure it is the governor that has the pills that will cure all the financial ailments that is presently rocking the boat of Kano Pillars Football Club.
Comrade Sani should not fail to remember that Kano Pillars is exclusively possessed by the Kano state government and the proprietor is first expected to realize or know what’s going on or happening to his property, not another person.
I expect the secretary to be bold and honest to carry Kano Pillars case to the Government House so that the government will truly know the reality on the ground.
He ought to let the state’s number one citizen know about everything they are telling us that Kano Pillars is bankrupt and intensely obligated to the tune of more than 100,000,000 Naira.
He ought to genuinely have made the governor realize that their lenders have since betrayed them because of the volume of obligation possessed.
And I don’t know why they are reluctant to make the governor fully aware about the sorry state or the hardships and difficulties the club is facing for long. Because he appointed them, not any other person.
But hours after the receipt of the Kano Pillars plea, the league governing body the NPFL board was said to agree to move the Enyimba vs Kano Pillars encounter which was earlier slated for Wednesday to Thursday which I later discovered to be false.
Thank God, I was later told that the team left for Abia the next day partly by air and partly by road to escape NPFL wrath and hammer. But unconfirmed source hinted that it was the governor that made that possible.
The next morning, the Media Officer of the team, Sharif Zaharaddeen Kofar Nasarawa revealed that the team had left Kano to Abuja by road at exactly 6.00am.
And it was from Port Harcourt Airport that Pillars moved Aba the venue of their match, a news which made not only Kano Pillars supporters happy but all soccer lovers and followers in the state.
Going through the Framework and Rules of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) 2023’2024 League Season, under Article 13.15: Postponement of League Matches, no team is allowed to postpone any league match.
And under Article 13.15. A League Match shall not be postponed or abandoned except: When on the date fixed for it to be played either the Home Club or the Visiting Club is competing in a competition; or with the approval of or on the instructions of the officiating referee (Article 13.15.2. 😉 or On the instructions of or with the prior written consent of the NPFL. (Article 13.15.3.)
And according to Article 13.16. Upon a League Match being postponed or abandoned in accordance with Rules 13.15.1, Article 13.15.2, or 13.15.3, the NPFL will thereupon exercise its power under Rule 13.8 and fix a date upon which the League Match in question shall be played.
Similarly, in Article 13.17: Failure to play a League Match: Except in the case of a League Match which, without either of the participating Clubs being at fault, is postponed or abandoned under the provisions of Rule 13.11, any Club which causes the postponement or abandonment of a League Match on the date fixed under Rule 13.11 or to which it is rearranged will be in breach of these Rules and shall be penalized under the provisions of Section C of these Rules (Disciplinary).
And the rule under SECTION C: Disciplinary Provisions states: In exercising its summary jurisdiction the NPFL shall be entitled to impose a fine not exceeding N5,000,000.00 per breach at any particular instance.
Article 13.25: Failure to Honor Matches clearly stated that: Any Club that fails to honor its fixture obligation without any reason acceptable to the NPFL may be fined up to the sum of N10,000,000.00(Ten Million Naira only) payable to the NPFL; Provided that where the reason adduced is acceptable to the NPFL, the fixture shall be rescheduled and the Club shall be liable to pay for any extra expenses that may be incurred by the other team as may be determined by the NPFL; and where the reason adduced is not acceptable to the NPFL, in addition to the fine above, the erring club shall forfeit the match to its opponent by 3 points and 3 goals.
Article 13.30: Which deals with withdrawal from the League states that: Where a Club withdraws from the League at any time, such Club shall be relegated to the 4th tier league and or shall not be eligible to participate in the NPFL for the subsequent three (3) seasons;
More so, be liable to a minimum fine of Three Million Naira Only (N3,000,000.00) and also be liable to forfeit income otherwise accruable to it from commercial agreements entered into for the benefit of the League, and
All matches previously played by the club in the season, if any, shall be cancelled and the results thereof shall be considered null and void in determining the League rankings; however, the Club shall remain liable for all penalties previously incurred, including fines and suspensions. Provided that where the withdrawal is due to force majeure or any exceptional reasons acceptable to the NPFL, the NPFL shall take such decisions as it deems fit in the circumstances.
More importantly, under the “Deed of Adherence” between the NPFL and all the participating clubs had been signed.
“The Shareholder confirms that it has been supplied with a copy of the Memorandum and Articles of Association of the NPFL and the League Rules and hereby covenants with the NPFL and each of the Members of the Company to comply with and be bound by all of the provisions of the Memorandum and Articles of Association and the Code of Governance of the NPFL and the League Rules as may be amended from time to time.”
So we should thank God that Kano Pillars had finally honored its match in Aba. What is left now is for its management not to allow a repetition of that. The club should leave early but not late. I was told the 5-0 loss was due to fatigue and lack of certainty of the match.
My friend, Dr. Bolanle Kayode said: “When you fail to plan, it means you are planning to fail.”