Aba Yola turns 56,  reveals how Kano Pillar was formed, his greatest moment as the Kano Pillars Chairman..

By Ayo Ademokoya.

The Chiroma of Yola and former Chairman of Kano Pillars, Alhaji Aba Abdulahi Yola who turned 56years today the 10^th of March 2016 has said that he will continue to do is best for the country and  his club Kano Pillars till  leaves the planet earth.

Speaking to www.harohkah.blogspot.com.ng this morning in a telephone interview, the former National Sports Commission stalwart believes Kano pillar would come out with a good result against MFM of Lagos in the week 6 of Nigeria Football Proffessional league at the Agege stadium..

Revisiting one of the interview with the Alhaji Yola at his home in Gwarinmpa, Abuja recently,the astutue football administrator revealed how Alhaji Ibrahim Galadima formed the football club named Kano Pillars and how he was instrumental to its registration been the head of Z0onal offices at the National Sports Commission in  1990

 “Many did not know that ive been part of Kano Pillars right from day one, I me since it formation in 1990. There was this particular day Alhaji Ibrahim Galadima, founder of Kano Pillar was in Lagos the very last day of registwering the new Nigerian Premier League.

I was the head of the Zonal Sports Office  at The NSC then and alhaji Galadima the then Commissioner for Youth and Sport for Kano state breezed in to my office as usual to say hello to some of us, I mean Alhaji Babayo Shehu, Aljahi Dauda and  Alhaji Sanni Ahmed Toro.

“I was in charge of registering the football clubs then for the newly organized Premier league. I told him (Galadima) that  registration closes that very day. Alhaji Galadima checked his pocket and found out that he didn have enough from he personal money which he used in registering kano Pillars, to complete the registration, he rushed to Babayo Shehu’s office and borrowed some money from him to add up to what he had and that was how Kano Pillars was registered on the very last day registration closes.

Ever since,my life has been Kano Pillars and Kano Pillar is me.

When ask if the aims and objective of government for forming kano Pillars has been met, Alhaji Yola said yes..

“Winning theNigerian Premier League 4 times was a huge achievement for us in Kano,  more so we reached the semifinal of the CAF Champions league in 1999 and till now we are a force to reckon with in the NPFL within its formation in 25 years, that to me is a huge achievement.

 And talking about the most difficult times Alhaji Yola said it was his tenure as the chairman in 2013 he regarded as the most difficult.

“One cannot take it away from the government of the former governor of Kano state and the Presidential aspirant under the umbrella of APC now Senator of the Republic of Nigeria, Senator Ibrahim Kwakwanso who did so much during my tenure as the Chariman of Kano Pillars in 2013.

Then we were confronted with so many problems. The league Management Company banished us from our Kano and were moved around to Lagos, Abuja and Lokoja with about 6 matches to end the league . Oh my God !!! it was a very difficult time for the team as we were expected to win the league back to back that year.

One thing about Kano pillar fans is they do not believe that the Kano Pillar can lose. They always do everything to support the team with their own money and this always moved me to tear. Honestly football is like a religion in Kano.

“Anyway our last match against Enyimab of Aba in Lokoja is one thing I would never for get.

If we lose or draw Enyimba would be the League Champion, so that match was a must win game for us in Lokoja.

About a minute to the end of the match ,someone came to me and said, ‘ its all over, the game is ending in 0-0 draw’. I looked straight into his face and told him boldly that if its by a lone goal, Allah would grant us the day not because of me but because of these passionate fans would have been praying and fasting for the team.

Most of them would wake up by 5am or 4am to pray for Kano pillars so that the problem with the LMC could be resolved, its not Ramadan or any religious fasting ..but when you see these fans ,the love they have for the team .you would be moved to tears for their passion.

To cut a story short, as the man talking to me would turn back the ball was already in the net and the man came back and said what kind of man Im I?

I burst out in tears because Allah did not disappoint my faith in him, you need to see the atmosphere it was frenetic and the governor alos was proud of us, and that was how we became Champions in 2013/14  league season