WWhy and How I formed Kano Pillars ..Ibrahim Galadima..Founder,Kano Pillars FC

By Ayo Ademokoya..

"Former NFA Chairman and the new Chairman of the Kano State Sports Commission, Alhaji Ibrahim Galadima has finally opened up to www.harohkah.blogspot.com.ng on how as the former Kano State Commissioner for  Youth and sports  formed Kano Pillars football club in 1990.

this revelatuion were made as we were on a research on 25 years of Kano Pillars,the Jubilee celebration which no one remembers to celebrate however the book KANO PILLARS AT 25 will soon be launched to complement books from the Stables of  Reality Publishers,publishers of the Golden Book of Shooting stars and Rashidi Yekini. 

Enjoy the excerpt from the book."

    

To God be the glory for what he has done in the last 25years that Kano Pillars was established. I feel satisfied and elated that I am still alive to witness the progress Kano Pillar has made in Nigerian and African football arena since its formation in 1990.

 In the last 25 years, we had won the Nigerian league 4 times, got to the finals of the Federation Cup, reached the semi finals of the prestigious CAF Champions League to mention but few. Looking back, I believe we have achieved most of the goals and objectives the team is set out to achiever. Foremost of the reason behind the formation of Kano Pillars by the founding fathers was for Kano state to have a strong representation in the newly formed Nigerian Professional league in 1990. We also wanted to  foster unity among vociferous fans of various football clubs in Kano whose rivalry were becoming worrisome to the state government of the day, hence the formation of a single state owned club which would be embraced by all in Kano and in the Diaspora regardless of age, religion. sex, streets, towns and villages they come from in the largest city in Nigeria.

All these we have achieved as Kano Pillars FC of Kano has the best followership, supporters and fans in the Nigerian Professional league according to the survey carried out by the League Management Company. It is no gainsaying that the Sanni Abacha stadium, home of Kano Pillars is always filled to the brim whenever the team is playing while our traveling supporters too are very committed and dedicated to the success of their darling team as they spend their time money and energy now and then.  Of course there has been ups and down in the last 25years but we thank the almighty Allah that we overcame most of them.

How did it all began, before I became the Commissioner for Youth and Sports in 1989,  I was the chairman, Football Association for Kano State .  Everyone was worried about the rivalry among football clubs in the state. 

Hell was always let lose before, during or after a football match involving one local team against another. Raccha Rovers, Brewery, Kofarmata, Young Boys Club, Kano Golden Stars were the leading clubs then and the unhealthy rivalry among them were becoming unbearable to the government.

 We had no peace and we were not achieving what we are set out to achieve with football despite the huge amount government was spending at that time to finance these football clubs in Kano. 

  Also  when we went for the National Sports Festival in Lagos in 1989, Kano state  came 3^rd  which was the best position ever by the Kano State, nobody  celebrated that performance because we didn’t do well in football. Therefore I sat down to think deeply, football could be the easiest way to sell our people out to the outside world so I  made a proposal to the Governor of the state at that time ,Colonel Idris Garuba , luckily my governor accepted the proposal and ordered that I set up a government owned  team called “Kano Pillars”.

 We didn’t kill other existing football clubs, what we did was to stop giving attention to them. We concentrated on pumping money only in this government owned club, Kano Pillars which should be embraced by all. Other football clubs died a natural death and of course people complained as expected, we had a long term vision which nothing could deter us from achieving those set goals and objectives.

 It was not easy though, gradually people began to embrace the idea and see reasons for what and why we did what we did. A year after, we got to the finals of the  1991 Challenge Cup  and after 25 years we had a modest achievement of  4 premiership trophies, Kano Pillars turned out to be one of  the leading club in the country whose fame has gone even beyond the shores of Nigeria.

It amuses me when people say I founded the club which I appreciated a lot but I must say here that it was the government of Kano state that formed Kano Pillars club and I just happened to be there as the Honourable Commissioner for Youth and Sports at that time, the credit has to be given to the government and those who accepted the idea.

Why  not?, I believe Kano Pillars can still win the CAF champions league with good organisation and planning in place after all we reached the semifinal stage in 2009 . If Enyimba of Aba could do it, we can do it as well, at least in the nearest future. I hope private could come in and capitalize on the gains this club could offer as it is house hold name in Nigeria.

The pleasure is ours Ayo, for putting records in their true perspective which will enable prosperity appreciate our modest contributions in this sector and Im ready to give all the support needed for this book to be a reality.

We wish you all the best in your endeavour to project pillars in a positive posture.

God bless you.

Ibrahim Galadima,

Former Nigerian Football Association and

 founder of Kano Pillars.

20^th of November,2015.