By Eche Amos PRO, Nasarawa State Ministry of Youth and Sports Development
A brainchild of the Nasarawa State Ministry of Youth and Sports Development with the endorsement of the Executive Governor, His Excellency, Engr. Abdullahi Sule, local football clubs in Nasarawa State have started receiving free branded footballs as part of the Governor Sule Administration’s “One Team, One Ball” Initiative.
The State Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Hon. Othman Bala Adam, heralded the first phase distribution of the branded souvenir balls in the five Council Areas that make up Nasarawa West Zone of the State on Sunday, 22nd August 2021, beginning from Keffi, leading to Toto, Nasarawa, Karu before climaxing at Kokona on Monday, 23rd August 2021, respectively.
Over three hundred pieces of customized balls were distributed across local clubs affiliated with the State Football Association and non-affiliated teams.
Some of the beneficiaries of the Governor’s gesture described their feelings as thus:
Shehu Kassim Yamusa 11, Director, African Sports, Keffi: “This is an incredible act from the Governor and I think this is the first of its kind in the history of our dear State.
“We greatly appreciate this gesture, and we thank the Commissioner and the Ministry of Youth and Sports for this laudable initiative.
“We will continue to give our unalloyed support to this administration to exceed all expectations.”
Mohammed Bello Ahmed, FA Chairman, Nasarawa Local Government Area: “This act of the Governor is historic and quite commendable.
“Never has such gesture been seen or done anywhere in the State.
“We lack how to appreciate the Governor and the Commissioner for this gigantic feat.
“It will remain indelible in our hearts and all lovers of football in the State and beyond.
“May Allah reward them all.”
Musa Usman Baba, Chairman, Toto Amateur Football Association: “We are so happy about this development.
“We thank our amiable Governor, Engr. Abdullahi Sule and the Ministry of Youth and Sports under the leadership of Hon. Othman Bala Adam for placing a premium on sports development in the State.
“This is how great sports industries are built.
“I wish to say the Governor’s benevolence will revitalize among young persons and stakeholders alike high interest in sports and curb insecurity.”
Aliyu Mekpe, Director, Social Science Department, Karu Local Government Area: “This is a welcome development. We will harmonize our youth to support the proponents of this laudable initiative.
“We appreciate the Governor for approving this project. This further demonstrates why he is so loved by the people, especially among the youth class.
“We will continue to galvanize support for his administration to deliver on the mandate.”
Mohammed Umar, FA Chairman, Karu Local Government Area: “We appreciate the visit of the Commissioner, and thank him for working the talk.
“The entire Karu youth and football fraternity are fully in support of this administration’s policies for youth.
“This administration, indeed, prioritizes sports, and knows the best channels to follow to get ends meet.”
Dominic Abashe, Coach, Eggon United FC, Kokona: “We so much appreciate the effort of the Governor. This shows his great leadership experience and the place of youth in his administration.
“We hope and pray that the Governor continues in power to help our teaming youth assume their place of greatness in sports.”
Jafaru Abdullahi Bobori, Coach, Garaku Scorpions FC, Kokona: “We are delighted with this development, more so that it cuts across all the grassroots football teams in the State.
“We will make judicious use of this kind gesture and see how to improve on our support for the administration of the Governor, going forward.”
Awalu Adamu, FA Chairman, Kokona, and APC Chairmanship Flag bearer, Kokona Local Government Area: “This is completely magnificent from the Governor.
“It is unique and unparalleled what the Governor has done.
“This will go a long way in changing the narrative of sports development in the State and send a strong and positive signal to other societies that we are doing something right and a force to reckon with.
“May God continue to preserve the Governor to do more for sports development in the State.”
Also lending his voice was the Nasarawa State Football Association Chairman, Alh. Alkali Mohammed, who witnessed the distribution.
Alkali who is also the Chairman, Nationwide League One in Nigeria, opined that the Governor’s gesture was unprecedented and would go a long way in creating stability and peaceful coexistence among young persons in the State while providing the vista for harnessing raw talents and empowerment.
“The Governor has, once again, shown that he is Governor for all.
“The FA is witnessing this for the first time since the creation of Nasarawa State.
“A government that supports sports development is the Government that doesn’t only value its youth but prioritises its security and development.
“As an Association, we will do all we can to support this noble cause aimed at empowering the youth.
“We will stand firmly by this administration to do more for our youth and general development of sports in Nasarawa State.”
Speaking earlier, Nasarawa State Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Hon. Othman Bala Adam disclosed the rationale behind the initiative.
“This initiative is the brainchild of the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development and is being realized because the Executive Governor of Nasarawa State who is a staunch sports lover and personality sanctioned the idea.
“The Administration of Governor Sule is youth-and-sports-friendly and intends to make Nasarawa State the hub of sports development in Nigeria through our rich youth and sports development policies.
“We intend to replicate this gesture in other sports as we have taken inventory of them. But because football has the largest membership and followership, we are beginning with it.
“The data we are generating through this distribution process will be used to meet the needs of the benefiting teams in the nearest future.
“We encourage teams which are not yet affiliated with the State Football Association to do so through their respective local associations in order to also benefit from this gesture.
“So far, we have generated the data of over three hundred (300) teams across the state, but there are emerging updates of clubs not captured, and where such occurs, we immediately do the needful by capturing the affected teams.”
The Commissioner added that the initiative will help in proper documentation and planning in tandem with the Governor Sule Grassroots Sports Development Policy.
The distribution will continue with the remaining two Zones of Nasarawa State, namely, Nasarawa North and Nasarawa South in the coming days.
