By Jamilu Uba Adamu
It’s impossible to start this column without some reflection, especially with my interest in Kano football history.
Recently, the Kano State Football Association (KSFA) after holding its annual general meeting, organized an award night to honour the achievement of some truly deserving individuals.
For some reason, I have not been able to attend the event, but from the videos and the pictures I saw, the award night was a resounding success and full of important guests.
The venue was beautifully decorated, and a giant screen was mounted on the stage with a background picture of each recipient of the award playing, just like we usually see at international events.
From the meeting down to the plaque award presented to the awardees, it was top-notch. The awards themselves were a fitting tribute to the outstanding contributions of the honorees.
It was a night to remember and the KSFA under the Chairmanship of Dr. Sharu Rabiu Inuwa Ahlan has set a high standard, and it deserves a standing ovation for organizing an outstanding event. The efforts have made a significant impact.
Aside from all that, after going through the list of the award categories that include, NLO KSFA best player, NPFL best player, and SWAN Kano chapter award, a reflection that comes to my mind, especially considering my interest in the history aspect of sports, I observed that there is no inclusion of posthumous award category among the list.
This means as laudable as the award event is, there is no recognition for a posthumous award to those who deserved to be honored for planting the seeds of game football in Kano a long time ago, and it continues growing as we have it today.
Those individuals are worth mentioning for special recognition for their contributions to nurturing the game and setting the pace we are following today.
On such award occasions, KSFA ought to create a posthumous award category for people like the Late Muhammadu Ɗanwawu Fagge, the man who led the legendary Kano XI to win the 1953 Challenge Cup and the sponsor of the defunct Ɗanwawu cup.
Pioneer Kano Pillars FC Chairman late Alh Isiyaku Muhammad, (whom his blossom friend, Isiyaku Umar Tofa, on so many occasions, used to say it was him, that convinced him to sponsor the Tofa Cup, back then).
Also former Kano Pillars FC Chairman’s Late Alh. Hassan Na-Abba, late ACP Sabo Abdullahi, Late Hon. Ɗanlami Hamza, Late Sani Muhammed Usman, and late Alh Kabiru Waya or even the famous legendary Kano XI squad, that consists of the Late Sidi coach, Maxwell, and Okoh brothers, that won the first Kano state football trophy in faraway Lagos in 1953, the list goes on.
Each of these aforementioned listed deserves to be posthumously awarded. I’m sure honouring them posthumously can be an opportunity to honour a legacy, inspire others, and a way to preserve history because omitting posthumous recognition can lead to forgotten legacies and leaving a legacy uncelebrated.
With this, I urge the Kano State Football Association to, in the future event seriously consider bestowing a posthumous award to these deserving historical individuals who put not only Kano State but the whole of Northern Nigeria on a football map.
Let me close by extending my wholehearted congratulations to Kano State Football Association and the awardees.
Adamu is a freelance sports writer and can be reached via jameelubaadamu@yahoo.com
