Youths who are into sports have been advised to combine education with sports so that later in life they will have something to fall back on.

The Executive Chairman of Kwara State Sports Commissions, Mallam Bola Magaji gave the advice when Ex Basketball players who are in the state to organise a one- day Basketball tournament for secondary schools paid courtesy visit to his office on Tuesday.

Magaji commended the ex players for their efforts to develop the youths and coming
to give back the society.

He enjoined them not to relent in the efforts as they are helping to develop the sports in the state.

The ex players while responding implored the Commission to help inform the government to increase the subvension of Kwara Falcons Basketball team.

The final of the tournament which is being organised by the Ex players in conjunction with the Kwara state Basketball Association will come up by 4pm today.

Tobi Falana, an Italian based professional table tennis player, returned to Kwara state to serve those in need and share love.

Tobi, currently plays for Casamassima that just promoted to A1 Division in Bari, Italy and acknowledged that his sudden wealth of experienced has turned into a positive one and decided to use part of this wealth to give back and help their communities.

He grew up in playing table tennis in Ilorin and represented the state in several championship ,winning laurels and was privileged to ruffle feathers with the likes of Aruna Quadri, Segun Toriola, Olajide Omotayo and others.

” I recently lost my mom, having been away for four years, I have came for a condolence visit to my family an thought of giving back to the younger ones.

” I was privileged to meet with Aruna Quadri and his support encouraged me to indulge in this. I am very delighted to see my coaches, players and members of the State Sport Commission under a new leadership. Staying in Italy hasn’t been easy because of the language and other factors”, He Said.

Executive Chairman of the Kwara State Commission, Mallam Bola Mogaji in his response, was delighted with the development, saying its important to give to the society, urging others to learn from the Italian based player and described him as a pride of Kwara, Nigeria and Africa.

The representative of the state table tennis association, commended Falani for donating Tennis Equipments and appreciated the commission for its efforts in budding talents.

••• Organisers Commends Kwara Sport Commission, Basketball Association •••

Organisers of the Milo Nestle Secondary school basketball championship has said the Energy Food Drink of Future Champions has inspired the youth of Nigeria in sport to instil life values such as hard work, responsibility, fair play, discipline, perseverance, togetherness and team work.

National Coordinator of the competition, Col. Sam Ahmedu, a board member of the Nigeria Basketball Federation, stated this during the tip off of the Central Conference Playoffs of the competition on Monday 16th May, 2022 in Ilorin, adding that the competition has been an avenue for youth engagement, integration and talent discovery with special recognition to Precious Achuwa, discovered in 2014, now playing for the Toronto Raptors and represented Nigeria at the Olympic games.

The President, FIBA Africa Zone III Commended Milo for its twenty two years of active tournament and affirmed that there will be value for time at the end of the Central Conference Playoffs in Ilorin.

During a courtesy visit to the Executive chairman of the Kwara Sport Commission, Coach Bola Mogaji, Col. Sam appreciated the support by the state Sport Commission an for its association with brains and hammers that would bring dividends to Sports, noting that Kwara occupies a strong hold in Nigeria Basketball which prompt the decision to push the championship to the state of Harmony.

Coach Bola Mogaji, in his response, maintained the Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq’s led government vision is to make Kwara a melting point for sports development while commending Milo for its commitments to Youth development.

He opined that his led commission will formulate policies and programmes to make life meaningful for sports men and women, investors and call on stakeholders to join his led administration in the quest to create a lasting legacy for Sports Project in the state.

Others at the visit were Monday Nelson, Vice President, Nigeria School Sport Federation, Alhaji Shola Sheu (Director, Kwara Sports Commission), Oladayo Oke (Official Milo Nestle), Bello Azeez (Secretary, Kwara State Basketball Association), Ahmed Adebayo (Head of School Sports, Kwara Sport Commission), and Bolaji Lawal.

The Indoor Hall of the Kwara Stadium, Ilorin is venue for the central Conference of the 22nd Milo Secondary School Basketball Championship with Schools from Nasarawa, Kebbi, Sokoto, Kaduna, FCT, Kwara, Niger, Benue and Plateau all participating.

Match Day 1 Results:

Boys Category

Niger 22-24 Benue
Kwara 27-19 Nasarawa

Girls Category

Sokoto 14-32 Nasarawa
Kwara 10-26 FCT
Benue 26-17 Kaduna

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