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Kwankwaso: Demise of sports in Kano
by
Umaru Isyaku
(isyakumaru@hotmail.com)
Kano, Nigeria
© 2002
Shortly on coming to power, the government of Kwankwaso issued a directive to the effect that all non-indegenes on
contract on any sports team were terminated. Thus begin the exodus of able-hands out of Kano sports and into the eager
hands of rival teams in other states who recruited these players and came to beat us with them!
This happened in basketball, volleyball, handball and foootball. I was especially acutely aware of what happened in basketball.
This is a game that Kano is reknown for, we have produced many indegenous players like young Sani Ibrahim who is currently on
the NBA draft this season. Go to:
http://illinois.rivals.com/viewprospect.asp?pr_key=373&sport=2
Most of Nigerian international basketball players had training lessons with Kano Pillars basketball team or outrightly grew up in
Kano. Check them out; Yinka Dare, Godwin Owinje, Ali Garagara, Chris Ekwe and the list goes on. Kano Pillars basketball team
was the no.1 team in Nigeria throughout the 80s and early 90s, but the current government policies have gone too far in
destroying this reputation. Shortly after disbanding players from other states from Kano(descrimination if you ask me),
the governor cancelled Kano's participation in the recently concluded national sports festival which took place in Bauchi,
where young talents are showcased and recruited!
Then the big one. Kwankwaso has now resorted to sharing out basketball/football courts in Kano to his crooneys as carveout plots.
Yes he has. The little basketball court at farm centre, built on a disused strip of road with community effort and which attracted
many former hooligans to the sport has been 're-claimed' by government. It has since been given out to individuals who constructed
shops!!!? Now the shocker, the 22 year main Kofar Nassarawa (Technical roundabout) basketball court, reknown nationwide and worldwide
as the centre of northern basketball(where Sani Ibrahim grew and learnt the game) and the 5s court opposite, has also been taken
over by Kwankwaso. He has also shared it out to his crooneys who are gearing up to build more shops.
The indoor sports gym and the Sani Abacha international football stadium that hosted FIFA youth soccer have had thier
functions redefined. Both two structures are now mainly used for political rallies and gatherings. These arrogant and
insensitive politicians drive thier cars on the expensive, specially layered and sensitive racetracks which has been on designed
for the athlete's shoes. The destruction heaped on the stadium by any one of these activities is equivalent to 20 FIFA championships!!!
The expensive fittings in the indoor gym have also been subjected to crass abuse. The synthetic floor, made for rubber-soled
shoe have iron chairs dragged all over it since political rallies, booklaunches etc are now held thier. In fact the indoor hall was
hired out parmanently to a commercial concern which installed viewing screens for paid viewing of football matches.
The catch is that no team, not even Kano Pillars (for whom the place was built for) can train there even if the game season is on!!
In his goodness of judgement, the governor thinks we need less and not more playgrounds in Kano,
or he does not care about sports whatsoever. The way the government thinks, basketball or any other
sport will never produce another reputable player as far as Kano is concerned but more shops! We need the support of
all well meaning Kano indegenes to let this government know the hazzards of unemployed youths roaming aimlessly around
looting and robbing innocent people and the lack of anything to engage them with. This is a very dangerous trend.
Brought to you by Kano Online 2002
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