Adamawa United was in the spotlight when Mr. Emmanuel Zira, Chairman Adamawa United appeared as a Guest on the FCT Football Update PERSONALITY INTERVIEW segment.

The experienced football administrator revealed that the North-East club is one of the underfunded amongst its rank.

According to him, the club still exists because of personal sacrifice, including the mortgaging of his personal properties to keep it afloat.

His words “Adamawa united is indeed one of the teams that have suffered from poor funding. I have had to navigate my ways to keep the clubs afloat, Including putting up my personal resources that are yet to be refunded till today, to rescue the club. The last time I got some funding for the clubs was in 2010, which was to the tune of N8.3 million.

“Nothing since then, apart from the monthly subvention of N6.4 million naira that was gradually improved to it’s the present position of N12.5 million. So it has been tough for me, and I had to mortgage my house to keep the clubs afloat” he stated

He added that “It was from this amount I pay salaries to Adamawa United, Adamawa Queens, and the feeder team. It has been very very tough sustaining the clubs. I give all the glory to God Almighty that I did not disappoint the people of Adamawa State.

However, Zira is hoping to draw positives from the global pandemic to further establish the club.

“I am currently taking the advantage of the global pandemic to completely reorganize the club, bring in some new innovations that may succeed in bringing in some financial relief to the clubs.”

“I know the corporate response to sports sponsorship has diminished, if not varnished completely in Nigeria, so it is very very tough getting sponsorship out there, but we will keep trying and giving it a shot.”

Going forward, he hinted on having ideas that are currently being developed to market the State-owned club for self-sustenance to be able to reduce government covering.

  Adamawa United, Emmanuel Zira, NFF, NNL, NPFL