The ‘bullish’ striker continued with his goal-scoring form on Sunday, as Kano Pillars grabbed a 2-1 win over Wikki Tourists in Bauchi.

Nyima Nwagua was happy to score his 5th goal of the season, after an impressive display in the win against Wikki Tourists on Matchday 17.

In-form Nwagua grabbed his 5th goal of the season, after getting to the end of good cross from David Ebuka, before slamming the ball home past Stanley Nwabili in goal.

“I’m glad we won away from home. This is my 5th goal of the season and I want to help the team with my goals, with my play, with my movements.” Nwagua told Sportlens360.

David Ebuka scored the second goal for Kano Pillars before Stephen Chukwude scored a goal for the home side to make it 2-1.

Kano Pillars are currently second on the NPFL log, same points as leaders, Kwara United and will hope to use their next two games against Heartland and Warri Wolves (both at home) to stay clear on top of the log.

Nigerian Coaches have been charged to be creative and innovative in order to increase their value as a critical stakeholders in football development.

Mathew Olorunleke, a Nigerian-Italian football coach gave the admonition on Friday during the closing ceremony of the  NLO Berackiah/Abigol Football Coaching Clinic for the North West Zone ‘A’ in Kano State.

The former Nigeria international
pointed out that the coaches could only unleash their full potentials by upholding principles and values that are worthy of emulation.

“If you aren’t trustworthy, who will invest in you? You must be
innovative and creative. By extension you should be able to bring something new to the table”, Olorunleke said.

Coach Kelvin Idris who spoke on behalf of the 99 participants who received their certificates on Friday thanked the organizers and resource persons for driving them through the world of football management and administration within the short time of the clinic.

He described the sessions as filled with impact which have widening their horizons about the dug out business.

The president of Nigeria Football Coaches Association (NFCA) Coach Ladan Bosso, in his words also urged the coaches to raise the bar of the game while noting the importance of mentorship in making the best of a career.

Dr. Bashir Maizare ,the Director of Sports from the Kano State Sports Commission in a remark appreciated the organizers for finding the state worthy of hosting the programme.

The 5-day football coaching clinic was a pack of practical and theoretical sessios aimed at enhancing the capacity and competence of the Nationwide League One(NLO) and grassroots coaches in the zone having done the similar programme in four other geopolitical zones of the country remaining the North Eastern part.

The clinic train will now move to Kaduna State for the second part of the North West Zone and is scheduled to hold from Monday 22nd- Friday 26th of February at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium in Kaduna.

Participants at the NLO Berackiah/Abigol Football Coaching Clinic have been urged to leverage on the delivery as the 5-day programme commenced in Kano on Monday for the North West geopolitical Zone A of the country.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the capacity building programme at the Ganduje Theatre Hall of Saadatu Abubakar Rimi College of Education in Kano, the CEO Berackiah International, Mr. Wonders N. Nwigwe urged the participants to embrace the revelation of football dynamism the clinic has been offering.

While thanking the Kano State Government for providing the enabling environment for the project, Nwingwe admonished the coaches to strike the chord of assimilation for the intensive period of coaching education which he said will help discover themselves and unleash their potential.

“If we are going to get good players, we must get good coachea. This was the reason behind our decision to initiate this project in order to impact the modern knowledge of football on our coaches which will in turn help them in developing players, Mr Wonders noted.

The Director of Sports of Sports Commission in Kano State, Mallam Bashir Ahmed lauded the initiative and expressed belief that it will add value to the coaches.

Mallam Ahmad revealed that the programme has come at a time when the need to revive sports is pressing on the government hence it’s capacity to help turn the trend in terms of talents discovery and development.

“The clinic is important because it comes at a time our sports is experiencing a downfall and now we hope this clinic will revive our sports back, Bashir said in his words.

For the clinic, participants will have the opportunity to learn from former coach Mathew Olorunleke, an Italian /Nigerian Coach,
Gian Marco Duina a certified goalkeeper trainer, Nigeria Football Coaches Association President, coach Ladan Bosso and host of other football instructors in Nigeria.

The Chief Whip of Kano State Chapter of Nigeria Football Coaches Association (NFCA), Coach Usman Sanda expressed his delight at the initiative and assured the organizer of the association support through out their stay.

Guests at the event includes, Ibrahim Gwadabe (Minta); the Vice Chairman NFCA, Kano State chapter, Segun Akeusola; Head of Planning Berackiah/Abigol Clinic, Comrade Owolabi Aleshinloye, Head of Media Berackiah/Abigol Coaching Clinic among other distinguished personalities.

Disturbed by the slow pace of the Kano-Zaria-Kaduna-Abuja expressway, Kano-Maiduguri expressway and Kano Western Bypass road, among others, the House of Representatives Committee on Works, lamented that the projects were poorly handled in terms of the speed at which they are going.

This was disclosed by the Chairman House Committee on Works, Honourable Engineer Abubakar Kabir Abubakar, when he and his Committee members paid a courtesy visit to Kano state governor, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, Friday, late evening, at his office.

The Committee, according to the Chairman, were on their inspection tour to federal government projects under the federal Ministry of Works, while showing the dissatisfaction of the Committee over the slow rate of all the projects visited, they vowed not to leave the lackadaisical attitude go unattended.

“Your Excellency it is sad to note that out of N155B for Kano-Abuja expressway, Julius Berger collected more than N70B, but the work done so far is not appreciable at all Sir. From Zuba to Kaduna Phase I, they did only 5 percent of 100km road,” he lamented.

Disclosing that, out of the total period given to them for the project, 26 months were gone already, “…what remains for them is only 9 months to come. Sir we asked them if they had any challenge, they said there was no challenge. But just look at what they are doing now.”

“Your Excellency Kano-Abuja road is very important to our economy Sir. Apart from the economic aspect of the road, it is sad to also note that 2 to 5 people die on that road on daily basis. We have to support President Muhammadu Buhari to save the lives of Nigerians,” he said.

He further lamented that, from the 70km from Kaduna to Zaria, only 11km was completed. Disclosing that, from Zaria to Kano only 11km was completed.

“For Dantata & Sawoe handling Kano Western Bypass only 30 – 40 percent is completed after collecting more than N20B,” he said.

They all commended Ganduje for the infrastructural development in the state. Insisting that, Kano has recently, becomes a beacon of hope and an exemplary political entity, that needs to be copied by other states of the federation.

In his remarks, governor Ganduje said “Your oversight function is very important for the development of the nation as a whole. And without you visiting such sites you will not be able to understand what contractors are doing.”

“The Kano-Maiduguri road expressway is over 10 years. So also Western Bypass. So also Katsina-Tsanyawa-Bichi-Kano expressway is also going at a very slow rate,” he said.

Abba Anwar
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Kano State

The judgement was based on Section 382 (b) of Kano Shari’ah Penal Code of 2000. He commended all those who participated at the special meeting, that was held at Africa House, Government House, Kano, Thursday.

“What happened is so important to the state and to the security of the state and the nation in general. What the Court did is absolutely right. And we support it completely. Such kind of irresponsible act, if not because of the state power, nobody could know what would happen in the future,” he reminded.

Explaining that, “The man who did that, confessed to be a follower of a particular Islamic Sect. But the adherents of those Sect rejected him right away. So we need to understand the importance of this judgement. We are lucky that Scholars maintained that it wasn’t a case for a particular Sect, but rather of one who just decided to derail.”

He said the state government has accepted the death sentence verdict and the rule of law surrounding the case. “I will not waste time in signing the warrant for the execution of the man who blasphemed our Holy Prophet of Islam,” he assured.

He also commended how the Court handled the case and commended all sections of the society for not fomenting trouble when the case was in the court, adding that, “Our eyes are there following everything bit by bit. We thank Almighty Allah, that the court sitting went on successfully.”

“Lawyers just told us that the case could go up to Supreme Court. So if that happens, I will not waste time in approving the verdict right away. And the second issue is, if the victim did not take up the case to appellate courts, I will not waste time to give the approval for the execution. I will not take more than few minutes to accept the verdict,” he said.

Governor Ganduje’s announcement was in the presence of the Commissioner of Police, Director State Security Service (DSS), Representative of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Eze of Kano Chief Boniface Ibekwe, Representatives of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Representatives of Muslim Lawyers Association of Nigeria (MULAN), Comptroller of Kano Correctional Centre, among others.

Representatives of the Islamic scholars addressed the gathering about why the judgement should be accepted and executed. The Chairman of the Council of Imams of Sheikh Muhammad Nasir Adam, Leader of Izalatul Bid’ah Wa’iqamatussunnah Prof Abdullahi Saleh, Malam Usman Yusuf Makwarari and others, gave reasons why the judgement should be executed.

Professor Ahmad Murtala from Bayero University, Kano, lend his voice to all those scholars who support the execution of the person involved in the blasphemy act. He hinted that accepting the judgement would strengthen courts in the state and would also mean respecting Kano people and their religious rights.

MULAN Chairman Kano State Branch, Barrister Muhammad Sani Garba, reveals that their association would stand very firm behind governor’s stand on approving the judgement. Adding that, even if the case goes to Supreme Court, nothing could change.

NBA Chairman Kano State Branch Barrister Aminu Sani Gadanya, said as an association, they collectively accepted the verdict of the Court, “Looking at the legal provisions followed by the Court. We are supporting this judgement 100 percent.”

Comptroller Nigeria Correctional Centre, Kano, reminded all about other procedures to be followed before the judgement could be executed lastly. Mentioning that, “The Law gives the victim the right to take the matter to the High Court to Court of Appeal up to Supreme Court. Just as being said by the Chairman of NBA, Kano state.”

Other people who spoke at the meeting included the state Commissioner of Religious Affairs. The Imam of Triumph Friday Mosque, Malam Lawan Abubakar reminded how people should try their best in discharging their individual responsibilities on the matter.

Sheikh Qariballah Sheikh Nasiru Kabara, the leader of Qadiriyyah in West Africa, who was represented by Dr Ibrahim Matabuli Kabara, commended the governor for being concerned about the issue that affects the dignity of the Holy Prophet of Islam, Muhammad Bin Abdullah, Peace and Blessings of Allahu Be On Him.

Abba Anwar
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Kano State
Thursday, 27th August, 2020
cps@kanostate.gov.ng