The Kwara State Football Association on Saturday entered a memorandum of understanding with the Office of the Nigeria Pillar of Sports in the quest to create a new identity to promote grassroot football.

Malam Idris Abdullahi in his words, described Nigeria Pillar of Sports as a vital element in the Structure of the FA and assured of working with Chief Ejidike in matching the objectives of the FA, adding that his Administration is fully committed to maintain its relationship to scientifically harness talents and improve the round leather game.

Thuraya opined the FA has explored in seeking sponsors to improve the standard of facilities including remodelling the artificial turf of the state stadium to natural grass and also to establish football pitches across all senatorial districts within.

He equally commended his board members for aligning with his objectives saying it will bring a significant change as stakeholders unite all grassroots initiatives and programmes under one banner.

Nigeria Pillar of Sports, Chief Donatus Agu Ejidike, vowed to work assiduously with the Kwara FA to help improve the fortunes of the game in the state.

Chief Ejidike, in his first familiarization visit to the secretariat of the FA, was meant to acquaint himself with the operations of the state football governing body and partner with the visionary institution while pledging his office support for the FA with a call for a stronger collaboration in a bid to develop all sectors of the game.

During the meeting, a Customized backdrop which had Malam Idris Picture with an inscripted message ” Outstanding Performance and revitalization of Football in Kwara” was presented by Chief Donatus to the FA Boss.

The delegation had in company of Alloy Chukwuemeka, Ajide Olayioye and others were met on arrival by the FA members including, Kashmi Agaka, Hajia Segilola Alaya, Captain Dayo Ayodele, Ahmed Abdullahi and other affiliated members of the FA.

It’s often held that words are easier said than done, and this translates to the fact that it takes perhaps an extraordinary will, courage and determination to impact lives with a long-lasting legacies.

Above expression best describes the giant strides of Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq in the area of Sports development in Kwara State in the last three years.

And as someone who believes in the connection between youths development and Sports, the Governor has left no stone unturned in breathing a new life into the Sporting Arena in the State.

Three years down the line, the Governor has touched virtually all the spheres of Sports sector with strategic interventions thus creating a leverage for talented youths to find their bearings and footings in their choice of Sports.

Some of the achievements which has earned Governor AbdulRazaq deserving accolades since emergence include the following:

Staging of Kwara Sports Festival

Among many other things, history and posterity will be kind to the Governor for staging the Kwara Sports Festival 15 years after it was last organised. Such was indeed the best way to announce himself as a Sports Loving Governor.

It was indeed a celebration of great potentials that abound the State as athletes from all the 16 local governments area converged on the Kwara State Stadium Complex, Ilorin to showcase their talents.

The festival in its essence would eventually serve as the motivation that birthed one of the best results the State will achieve at the National Sports festival in the recent times.

The last National Sports festival which held in Edo State saw Kwara amassing a total number of 44 medals.

In the same vein, Kwara State contingent showed class in the last National Youth Games held at the University of Ilorin as the State achieved an all time high results by finishing 6th on the final table with 32 medals.

Acquiring of NPFL ticket for Kwara United

It took the daring courage of the Governor to acquire an NPFL ticket for Kwara United after its relegation to the second tier league (NNL) where he met the club.

His continuous support to the State darling team has seen it regaining its deserved status among the comity of top clubs in the Country.

As a way of easing the attendant challenges in the transportation of players to match centres across the Country, the Governor in the last three years has presented two new coaster buses to the team.

Creation of the Sports Commission

The creation of Kwara State Sports Commission was one of the interventions of the Governor to chart a new path for Sports development in the State.

After a painstaking consultation with the stakeholders and evidence based prospects, the Governor established the commission as a way of giving a new direction for Sports in the State.

The commission which has since gone to work have been making concerted and informed efforts towards building a virile, proactive and effective sporting environment in the State.

Facilities

As a Technocrat, Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq understands the significance of facilities in the chain of productivity, hence his aggressive efforts at changing the face of the existing Sports facilities in order to help athletes perfect their skills and also generate revenue for the State.

Among many facilities that has witnessed a facelift under the current administration are:

Renovation of Adewole Baseball and Softball park

One of the first major interventions of Governor AbdulRazaq man when he came on board was the renovation of the Baseball and Softball Park in Adewole.

Renovation of Swimming Pool, Volleyball and Handball Courts

While the swimming pool is currently being renovated to a world standard level, both volleyball and handball courts have since been retouched in order to add more value to the games and also affords the athletes opportunity to train adequately and also attract competitions of note to the State.

Construction of new Squash Courts and Table Tennis Hall

The Governor in his bid to reposition Sports in the State is currently building the biggest Squash courts in the whole of West Africa. Eight in total, the courts would serve as hub for talents to develop.

Another gigantic project ongoing is the constitution of a new Table Tennis Hall. The Hall which will house many facilities will enable the ping pong game to grow among the youths and also earn the State another generations of players that will do her proud both nationally and Internationally.

Approval of the renovation of the Kwara State Stadium complex and Olofa Township Stadiums

The major stadia in the State will soon be witnessing a facelift in a bid to make them more attractive to the outside world.

Renovation of these stadia will in no small measure aid the development of football at the grassroots level and also expose a lot of promising talents opportunities to take their careers to the highest level.

Athletes Welfare

Governor Abdulrahman hasn’t only prioritized the repositioning of Sports in the State, he has also ensured that the welfare of athletes remains a top agenda in his drive for Sports development. Such were the manifestation of the results the State contingents had achieved in national tournaments.

No doubt, the Sports sector in the last three years has witnessed a remarkable development and turnaround which will continue to be a reference points in the annals of Kwara history.

With all these achievements and many more coming, Kwarans would definitely find it pleasing and fulfilling to re-elect Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq for another four years as the popular saying goes, one good term deserves another.

Alhaji Attahiru Ibrahim is the Special Adviser on Sports and Youths Development to Kwara State Governor

The Senator representing Kwara South Senatorial District, Senator Oyelola Ashiru, has congratulated Prof. Jamiu Mosobalaje Olaloye Oyawoye (CFR) on his 94th birthday.

In his birthday message, the lawmaker described the Africa first professor in Geology as an ebullient scholar, with keen interest in humanity and social development.

The lawmaker appraised the Aremo of Offa education philanthropists gesture, an indelible imprints that will last a lifetime, also his social welfare programs for the benefit of all.

“May almighty Allah grant baba more healthy years. We appreciate your impacts”

Professor Oyawoye is a celebrated Scholar, a great community developer, and a lover of Allah, this reflect in his daily life.

· Restates commitment to complete Osi, Ilesha Baruba campuses of KWASU
· Announces new scholarship for Kwara students

Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq on Friday commissioned the expansive fully air-conditioned Kwara State Polytechnic auditorium initiated by the late former Governor Muhammed Lawal some 20 years ago, reiterating his commitment to ensure that all abandoned projects funded with tax-payers would be fixed in phases and as resources permit.

“The construction of this auditorium started over 19 years ago. It got stalled on the altar of politics of who conceived what. In 2019, I pledged not to let Kwara be a mortuary of abandoned projects. The commissioning of this facility is therefore a fulfilment of that pledge,” AbdulRazaq said at the Kwara State Polytechnic Ilorin.

The governor said the present administration is determined to set new, people-focused priorities and make public funds work for the public.

“God willing, we will do our best to complete all abandoned projects as resources may permit. This is because allowing them to rot away is a waste of public funds already invested in the projects and an abuse of public trust. As we have funded this auditorium to a befitting completion, projects like the Osi and Ilesha Baruba campuses of Kwara State University, which we inherited, will be funded to completion. This is developmental politics,” he said.

AbdulRazaq also announced the approval of another round of scholarships to boost the morale of hardworking students.

“I urge our students and youths to reciprocate our investments in education and other areas of human capital development by being good ambassadors to their respective homes and our state. I’m glad to announce to you that I have approved another round of scholarships to boost the morale of our hard working students. The Ministry of Tertiary Education will give the details in subsequent communications,” he said.

“I appealed to our young people to shun cultism and drug abuse. I urge you to be the best that Kwara people will be proud of. On our part, we will never spare any available resources to ease your path to the top.”

Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Barrister Senior Ibrahim Sulyman, for his part, called on the management of the polytechnic to take proper care of the auditorium so that the colossal sum of money sunk into the project does not go down the drain under few months.

“The story of this auditorium will be incomplete and grossly inadequate without the mention of the special interest, passion, commitment and strong political will of His Excellency who defied all odds to break the jinx and ensured that the project is completed and ready for use through constant and up-to-date release of funds to the contractor,” he said.

“We also owe our gratitude to the contractor, Alhaji Abdulraheem Oladimeji the Jagunmolu of Igbomina land, for his patience in the last 20 years.”

Rector Kwara State Polytechnic Dr Abdul Jimoh said the auditorium would solve some of the infrastructural challenges facing the institution.

“The auditorium will go a long way in solving some of our challenges. For instance, we used to hold our matriculation and convocation ceremonies in an open field which is not befitting enough. With this auditorium, we will able to confidently hold our matriculation and convocation ceremonies and some other important functions in the institution,” he added.

“The structure was conceived during the Late Rear Admiral Muhammad Alabi Lawal administration on September 7, 2001 but suffered lack of funding from previous governments. We thank God that the people’s governor Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq intervened and the result is what we’re seeing today.”

Oladimeji, for his part, commended Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for his intervention which made him to complete the project nearly 20 years after laying the foundation.

The Governor, meanwhile, also pledged to look into the challenges confronting the students in the school such as the light up project and the dam of the school.

In a brief meeting with the students’ union government executives of the school, the Governor called on the students to continue to be of good character and said the administration will always support them.

Obafemi Isaac, the president of the SUG, commended the Governor for his pro-people programmes such as his recent waiver for students who were yet to pay their tuition in the school to sit their examinations while they pay up later.

Rafiu Ajakaye
Chief Press Secretary Govwenor, Kwara State
June 25, 2021

CAF/FIFA accredited photographer and ace NPFL photo delegate, Abdul Momoh
has been honored with the best photojournalist award by the renowned Symbol Magazine.

The Symbol Magazine/ Kwara Alert Newspaper, a popular magazine has rich contents ranging from politics, sports, lifestyle and health with wide range of recognition in and outside Kwara State.

The award was don on Momoh for his dedication and unrelenting contribution to the development of sports journalism in Kwara State and Nigeria.

The award ceremony saw notable people in attendance including the Deputy Speaker, Kwara State House Assembly, Hon. Olanrewaju Raphael Adetiba, Chairman of Kwara State Football Association, Mallam Idris Musa, General Manager of Radio Kwara, Kayode Aremu, Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Shamsudeen, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Communication, Hajia Abdulrahman among other personalities.

An elated Abdul Momoh used the medium to thank friend and colleagues for their support and encouragement so far just as he dedicated the award to his late mother who encourage him in taking photography as a profession.

He commended the organizers for the initiative which he described as first of its kind.

“This is first of its kind in Kwara where media practitioners were been rewarded, kudos to the organiser and publisher of Symbol Magazine, Mr Remilekun Emmanuel. The online voting make it real for people to vote their choice candidates.”

The easy going Photojournalist has covered many national and international events and have previously bagged merit award in 2017 by Sports Media Ambassadors in conjunction with the Federal ministry of Youth and Sports, South West and 2019 Excellence special awards.

The widely travelled Photojournalist urged photographer to remain dedicated and be more creative toward achieving their goals.

Honourable Abdulwahab Abdulmajeed Temidire popularly known as ‘Aburo Gomina’ has applauded Kwara State Governor, Mallam Abdulrahman Abdulrahman for changing the narratives of sports development in the state after two years in office.

Temidire made the disclosure at the Kwara State Stadium Complex on Sunday during a match organised to mark the two years anniversary of the Governor.

According to the APC Stalwart,he noted that it is important to celebrate the anniversary of a sports loving Governor in a peculiar way hence the match between AA Victory Football Club and Kwara United.

“We are celebrating the two years of unprecedented achievements of the Governor in terms of Sports development, education, road Infrastructure and human capacity building” he said.

While describing the Governor as the ‘beautiful one that has been giving birth to’ he urged the him to consolidate on his past achievements having done what seemed impossible before his emergence.

He outlined the UBEC programme where more than 300 Schools will be upgraded and reconstructed as part of many other initiatives coming from the Governor in his bid to improve the education sector in the state and better the lives of the citizens.

“My message to Kwarans is that they should to continue to give support to the Governor and have confidence in him- and i can assure them they will not be disappointed” he concluded.

Kwara United defeated AA Victory FC 4-0 in the game witnessed by many dignitaries and sports enthusiasts.
Photo credit: Abdul momoh

Kwara State Super league final between La Planet Sports Academia and Stallion FC will hold on Thursday 20th of May, 2021.

The final match which will hold at the Kwara State Stadium Complex is billed to commence at 4pm.

Mallam Idris Abdullahi Musa Thuraya ,the Chairman of Kwara State Football Association is expected to lead other dignitaries to the event.

Recall that the preliminaries and advance stages of the tournament organised by the Kwara State Football Association
has been concluded.

Over 50 teams participated in the championship and the winner between the finalists will qualify to take part in the NLO play off scheduled to kick off in June.

An expert in the hospitality industry, Engr. Yusuf Aliyu has charged the Kwara state government on the need to invest more on tourism centres across the the state so at to put the state on a world map.

Aliyu who is the chairman of Monarchs Palace Hotels stated this on Saturday while answering questions from our reporter in his Ilorin office.

According to him,’ it is unfortunate that much has not been done in the hospitality industry in Kwara State.’

“Hospitality industry in Kwara State is far below the expectations both in terms of investment and infrastructure. So there is huge gap and I think there is considerable room for improvement.

” The Kwara State Government should partners with players in the hospitality industry to raise the bar to the desire level,” he said.

He added that the government should lead the way toward making Kwara State ranked one of the best among its pairs in the hospitality industry.

“The Kwara State government can uplift the industry by first identify all the tourism centres in the state and partner with the industry by way of providing facilities that will support tourist centres.

” For instance, we have Owu Falls here in Kwara, it is comparable to Niagara Falls in Canada. But there is no access to Owu falls in Kwara State. The roads are not good.

“So if government is able to do the road, am sure a lot of investors in hospitality will want to put hotels or resort centre in the environment. That is the kind of partnership am talking about, ” Aliyu stressed.

Continuing,’ the government cannot do it alone. There should be a roadmap and that will bring a lot of investment and Internally Generated Revenue(IGR) to the state.’

“If government channel utmost resources into the industry, there is no how it will not increase the Kwara state IGR by 30 per cent. Because Kwara is centrally located.

“Kwara is quiet and everybody knows the state for it’s peaceful coexistence. So, it is going to a major boost if we develop tourist destination in Kwara State. There is a lot of tourist attractions in the state,” the philanthropist affirmed.

Aliyu who is also the chairman of Yusuf Aliyu foundation has awarded scholarships to indigent students and provided learning materials to schools to support the effort of the government in providing qualitative education in the state.

By Abdul Mommoh

The Kwara State Coordinator of Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN), Mall. Ahmed Saba has said rice production in Kwara state has evolved as more youths have embraced farming in the state.

He stated this recently while answering questions from journalist in his Ilorin office.

According to him, “Kwara has joined the league of comity of states in rice production and value chains.

” Kwara is one of the states in Nigeria that produce large quantity of rice paddy in the country. But Kwara is under reported.
“The potentials we have in Rice production in Kwara is far better than what they have in other parts of the country like Kebbi, Kaduna among others.

“Kwara has boundary with River Niger. With that, the land that is available for Rice farming is enough to feed this country. Kwara can feed Nigeria,” he stressed.

Saba added that five Local Governments out of the 16 in the state are actively producing rice, it remains for the state government to tap into the potentials.

“Presently out of the 16 Local Governments in Kwara, about five are actively producing rice and its value chain. These LGs are Edu, Patigi, Moro, Ifelodun and Asa.

But the Kwara State government is yet to discover the potentials of Rice production in this part of the state.

“If government take very seriously the people of Patigi, Kaiama and Edu who were affected by flood recently by urging the Federal Government to dredge River Niger, it will boost rice production.

“So, if Kwara State government is ready to support us, let them dredge the River Niger and we shall tell the whole world what we can do in Kwara, ” he added.

The rice Farmer lamented that his association hasn’t gotten the required support from the Kwara state government except in terms of some policies implementation.

“The support we got from the government is in terms of security, but we are yet to receive any form of support directly from the present administration.

“We have written letters to the government , but there are policies the government is coming out with like tractor support services, inputs support services and others.

“Recently, we had the opportunity to meet with the Governor, AbdulRazaq AbdulRahman with the team of the Central Bank of Nigeria who came to look at what we are doing at the local level.

“The governor said he is happy with us and that his government would guarantee us of the ISPO required to access loans. We asked him to open more land because people are ready to farm.

He however said the future of rice production in Kwara is bright as over 30,000 youths have embraced farming in Kwara.

Executive Governor of Kwara State, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has forwarded five fresh list of commissioner nominees to the Kwara State House of Assembly.

The nominees are; Mrs Deborah Aremu from Irepodun LGA, Banigbe Remilekun Oluwatobi – Isin, Senior Ibrahim Sulyman from Ilorin West, Saba Magret – Edu.

Hajia Ahmed Maryam Hassana from Patigi completes the list of five nominees that are expected to join the Governor in piloting the affairs of the state.

It will be recalled that Governor Abdulrazak had earlier sent a list of seven nominees which was approved by the state assembly.