Former Sports Minister, NHF, NBBF Presidents pays tribute to late Yusuf Dauda, describes his death as colossal loss
Former Minister of Sports, Engr. Sani Ndanusa has describe the death of the immediate past President of Nigeria Handball Federation, Alhaji Yusuf Dauda as a colossal lost to the sports family in Nigeria, Abu Hazzan informs sports247.ng@gmail.com
Engr. Ndanusa who was also a former President of Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) stated this while speaking to sports writers during the third day prayer of late Alhaji Yusuf Dauda at his residence in Minna on Saturday.
He said the deceased has left a very big vacuum in Nigeria sports industry, adding that the contribution of the former Chairman of Niger Tornadoes as an athlete, sports administrator and technical official cut across board.
“The name Yusuf Dauda is synonymous to sports. We will miss his value, support, counselling, prayer and developmental stride. So we can only say may Allah grant him Aljannah Firdausi and may Allah increase Iman to his immediate family and to all of us,” Engr. Ndanusa concluded.
Similarly, the President of the Nigeria Handball Federation (NHF), Mr. Samuel Oche said the deceased had been supportive to him since he came on board, saying the Handball family will miss him greatly.
“Yusuf Dauda was always there for Handball. All the competitions we have organized he was always there with us. This came as a big surprise to the Handball family, we are still shock. We can’t believe that Alhaji Dauda is gone.
“He is my very immediate past President so you can imagine how I feel as the current President that my very immediate past President is gone. This is a big blow to the Handball family,” the NHF Boss explained.
He added that Alhaji Yusuf Dauda had done a lot for the game of Handball because of his passion for the game, saying all they can do to keep his vision for Handball alive was to sustain his legacy or do more than he had done so that he would be happy where he is.
Mr. Samuel Oche who said he feels terribly bad about the demise of Alhaji Yusuf Dauda added that they wish they could turn back the hands of time, but unfortunately they can’t, praying to God to give everyone who has a link with the deceased the fortitude to bear the irreparable lost.
Also, the National President of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF), Mallam Tijjani Umar said they became friends because of sports and that their friendship got strengthened when they served in the board of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC).
“I knew him to be somebody deeply passionate about sports. Somebody who was deeply committed to the ideals of the Olympic family in Nigeria. Much more his love was for Handball but he love everything in sports,” said the NBBF Boss.
Mallam Tijjani Umar disclosed that himself and late Alhaji Yusuf Dauda had a lot of memorable moments while at the NOC, saying he could not believe it when he received a call that Yusuf Dauda is dead.
He said life is transcend and we are all on a journey which sooner or letter we will all be where Yusuf Dauda is right now, saying, “for all of us in sports we will continue to cherish his contributions to sports while he was alive.”
Other dignitaries who attended the third day prayer were Professor of Sports Science and Provost of Federal College of Education, Kontagora, Prof. Faruq Haruna Rasheed, Chairman of Niger Tornadoes Football Club, Alhaji Mustapha Gawu and other top sports officials from the State Ministry of Sports Development.
