The 2025/26 football season has come to an end, but it leaves behind a long list of talking points, especially for clubs that either suffered relegation or only just managed to survive the drop.
Across the league, the season will be remembered as one filled with inconsistency, uncertainty, underperformance, and dramatic survival battles.
In the Premier League, Kano Pillars FC, one of the most established and widely respected clubs in northern Nigeria, found themselves in an uncomfortable and unexpected fight for survival throughout the second round.
From the mid-first half to the second half of the season down to the final stretch, the team floated dangerously close to relegation, leaving supporters anxious week after week.
In fact Kano Pillars survival was not secured in convincing fashion. In fact, the decisive moment almost slipped away when they fell 1-0 to Plateau United in Jos, a result that denied them the crucial point(s) needed to reach the safety mark of 49 or 51 points.
At that stage, their fate seemed uncertain and heavily dependent on other outcomes elsewhere.
Ironically, it was the results from other centres across the country that eventually came to their rescue, ensuring Kano Pillars narrowly escaped relegation by the slimmest of margins.
Given their history and stature in Nigerian football, many expected a strong reaction from fans, supporters, and stakeholders in Kano State, perhaps even a moment of relief or muted celebration.
Instead, the response has been mixed and largely subdued, with more questions than excitement dominating the conversation about how a club of such pedigree ended up in such a precarious situation in the first place.
In almost all the radio sports discussions I listened to, there was a recurring pattern of blame being directed either at the club’s management.
The conversation, in many cases, quickly shifted to questions of administrative failure and alleged mismanagement within the club’s hierarchy.
To my surprise, even those I considered highly knowledgeable in the system were among those who echoed similar sentiments, attributing responsibility along those same lines.
While everyone is certainly entitled to their opinion, I find it necessary to disagree with some of these conclusions.
In my view, many of these takes appear to be based on surface-level observation rather than a thorough and balanced assessment of the situation.
A deeper look at the team’s season, internal dynamics, and broader competitive context is needed before arriving at such firm judgments about where the real fault lies.
This, according to many stakeholders, is part of the deeper structural problem that affected the club’s stability throughout the season.
It is widely believed that the management of Kano Pillars was not allowed direct access to the Governor’s office, but was instead made to operate through the Ministry of Sports whose commissioner know nothing about sports and its dynamics.
Critics of this arrangement argue that such a bureaucratic layer created unnecessary distance between decision-makers and the club’s leadership.
They further claim that the Ministry, particularly some of its top officials, may not have had sufficient technical understanding of football administration and the day-to-day realities of running a professional team.
From this perspective, decisions that required speed, expertise, and direct intervention were instead slowed down or diluted through administrative processes.
Supporters of this view insist that such a system can easily weaken communication, affect planning, and ultimately reflect on-field performance.
However, this remains one of several interpretations of the situation, and not everyone agrees that it was the defining factor in the club’s struggles.
The attitude of the last commissioner toward the entire situation, an issue many people seem reluctant to openly discuss, also appears to be another factor that, in the eyes of some observers, hindered Kano Pillars’ progress.
It is alleged by some insiders that the former commissioner was often not readily accessible when urgent matters concerning the club arose, with responses frequently limited to requests for time before granting access to the governor, regardless of the urgency or seriousness of the issue at hand.
There are also claims circulating that his approach and decisions played a role in the club’s inability to recruit new players during critical periods, which may have further weakened the squad’s competitiveness.
However, these assertions remain part of ongoing debate and are largely based on accounts from within the system, and they continue to reflect the wider disagreement over what truly went wrong with Kano Pillars’ season.
The state government has also been mentioned by some observers as part of the broader challenges affecting Kano Pillars, particularly in relation to the structure and composition of the club’s management board.
Critics argue that the board has been overpopulated with individuals, some of whom, in their view, may not possess strong backgrounds in football administration or sports management.
The government’s decision to appoint a serving club player as General Manager of the team was widely criticized by stakeholders, who viewed it as a misplaced appointment.
Many argued that the role required administrative and managerial expertise that differed significantly from the responsibilities of an active player, describing the move as a classic case of putting a square peg in a round hole.
Many stakeholders attributed part of Kano Pillars’ struggles to this arrangement, arguing that it created a conflict of roles within the club.
According to critics, the coaching staff found it difficult to effectively discipline or correct the player whenever necessary, given that he also served as the club’s General Manager and was their superior in the administrative hierarchy.
This unusual situation was seen as undermining the coach’s authority, creating an unhealthy power dynamic, and negatively affecting discipline, accountability, and overall team performance.
This, according to such views, is believed to have affected the efficiency of decision-making and the overall coordination required to run a professional football club successfully.
Another concern raised in some discussions is the issue of financial transparency. It is being suggested in certain circles that the process of disbursement of funds to the club has become less open compared to previous years, when such information was more publicly accessible.
Supporters of this argument believe that reduced transparency can create room for speculation, mistrust, and uncertainty around how resources are being managed.
That said, these perspectives remain part of an ongoing debate, and they reflect the differing opinions on how governance structures and administrative decisions may have influenced the club’s performance during the season.
For Kano Pillars to regain its status as one of Nigeria’s leading football clubs, the state government must reconsider its approach to the management of the team.
One option would be to return the club directly under the Governor’s Office, as was the practice in the past, in order to reduce bureaucratic bottlenecks and ensure quicker decision-making on matters affecting the club.
Furthermore, if the government is committed to appointing a General Manager for the club, such an individual should be selected based on proven administrative competence and football management experience, rather than from among serving players.
Combining active playing duties with executive management responsibilities creates conflicts of interest and can undermine discipline, accountability, and effective decision-making within the team.
In addition, the club should be required to prepare and submit a comprehensive annual budget for scrutiny, approval, and timely disbursement.
The current piecemeal funding approach has often been cited as one of the factors hindering proper planning and smooth operations.
A transparent and predictable funding framework would enable the club to execute its programmes effectively, meet its obligations on time, and focus on achieving success both on and off the pitch.
In my view, if the government adopts a more transparent, accountable, and professional approach to the management of Kano Pillars, the club can once again reclaim its place among the elite teams in Nigerian football.
With proper governance, adequate funding, and efficient administration, Kano Pillars possess the potential to restore their former glory, not only on the domestic scene but also on the continental stage through successful participation in CAF club competitions.
The club has a rich history, a passionate fan base, and a strong football culture. What is required is a management structure built on transparency, merit, and long-term planning.
If these elements are put in place, there is every reason to believe that Kano Pillars can once again become a force to reckon with in Africa.
The government should recognize that sports is a specialized field that requires experienced professionals to lead it, especially if meaningful results are expected.
