I WAS RICHER THAN DANGOTE..BAITA, KANO PILLARS CHAIRMAN

By Ayo Ademokoya

As the commencement of the 2015/2016 Nigerian Professional Football league hotsup tomorrow 21^st of February 2016 across all the football stadia in the country, www.harohkah.blogspot.com.ng  revisits the exclusive interview held recently with the  Chairman of Kano Pillars FC of Kano, Alhaji Kabiru Baita at the Kano State Governor’s office where he revealed how he was once richer than the Africa’s richest man and business mogul, Alhaji Aliko Dangote. In the interview, he also promised millions of  “Sai Masu Gida” fans  of his readiness to use all at his disposal to make sure that Kano Pillars FC conquers both the Nigerian Professional Football league once again and even the elusive CAF champions Cup which has been a mirage to the people of Kano.

 “I never for once accepted to serve as the Chairman of Kano Pillars for personal enrichment but to contribute his own quota to the development of the Kano Pillars, a dream that was truncated about 13years ago when his 4 year tenure of been the the Sole Administrator of the club ended at the emergence of Dr Rabiu Kwankwanso’s government” He began

“Many people don’t know who Kabiru Baita is, but if you are an indigene of Kano, you will recollect that Kabiru Baita is a successful businessman who has used his money to develop football in Kano. Some of this young journalist may not know that I was once appointed the Sole Administrator of  Kano Pillars in December 1999 and was the man who brought Kano Pillars out of relegation in 2003.

I used my personal money most of the time when government fund were not available for months and up till now I am still owed about 1.5milion naira which I had forfeited to the club. You can now imagine what the value of 1.5milion naira is like nowadays compared to what it was over a decade ago.

I employed coach Pele, Audu, Maikaba, Tunde Abdurahman and later Justin Tenger and Bitrus Bewarang to reposition Kano Pillar that was struggling in the second division of the Nigerian 17 years ago. I could not complete the job of making the club due to that fact that the new government of Rabiu Kwankwaso was brought in 2003.

So now that the Government of Ibrahim Ganduje is brought me back on July ,2015 it is with a mission to revive the fortunes of the dwindling fortunes of the club.

Revealing to harohkah.blogspot.com.ng on how he used to be richer than Dangote, the soft spoken football Administrator said.

“Ask anyone in Kano who Baita was, my father was a successful businessman and in 1977 he gave me 200,000 naira to start my business ,even Dangote’s father did not give him that much when he approached his father. My business was thriving and I know how much I sank into Ishiaku Rabiu’s Sugar business in the late 1980’s, in those days as I was among the first set of young man to use fiat and ladder as my first car.

“So I am not here for financial gain but to contribute to the growth of Kano Pillars and In sha Allahu, Kano Pillars would be great again.

Kano Pillars plays at home at the Sanni Abacha stadium against Enugu Rangers on Sunday the 21^st of February 2016 in the week one of the Nigerian Professional Football league.