Governor Inuwa to declare Gombe Inter Schools Athletics, Football Championship open Tuesday

The 2025 Gombe Inter Secondary Schools Athletics Championship and Grassroots Football Competition will commence tomorrow Tuesday at the Patani Stadium.

The participating athletes, officials and other stakeholders, including journalists, have arrived Gombe, the state capital city ahead of the sports fiesta.

According to the event programmes released by the organisers, the Governor Inuwa Yahaya is topping the list of dignitaries invited for the opening ceremony of the championships being put together by the Gombe State Athletics Association under leadership of Ahmed Gara Gombe in collaboration with the Green White Green (GWG) Sports Center Limited.

His Royal Highness, Alhaji Abubakar Shehu Abubakar III the Emir of Gombe, who is also the chairman of Gombe State Council Of Emir will serve as the royal Father of the Day during the opening ceremony of the competition featuring athletes from 73 schools in 11 local government areas of the State.

Other distinguish guests expected at the opening ceremony are Professor, Abubakar Ibrahim Njodi, the secretary to the state government, Commissioner for Education in Gombe State, Professor, Aishatu Umar Maigari and his Youth and Sports counterpart, Alhaji Adamu Inuwa Pantami.

The chairman of Gombe State Athletics Association, Ahmed Gara Gombe, who is also the director general of the competition, explained that the State Ministry of Education and the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), are fully behind this initiative.

The SUBEB chairman in the State, Alhaji Babaji Babadidi, will also be attendance at the occasion with Barrister Sani Haruna, the ALGON Chairman Gombe State and Chairman Gombe Local Government Area.

Dikko. Gusau, Tofa , Dantiye others to Sani Abacha Stadium for Galadima Cup opener

Arrays of football stars would be on parade to showcase their talent , at the 3rd edition of the annual Ibrahim Galadima cup, which kicks off on January 4th 2025 at Sani Abacha stadium, Kofar Mata. Kano by 4pm.

The football tourney is organized annually to celebrate the former chairman of the now defunct, Nigeria Football Association, NFA, Ibrahim Galadima , to applaud his sacrifices and contribution towards the development of sports in Africa’s largest footballing nation.

The chairman media and publicity committee of the competition, Ado Salisu disclosed that 16 teams would trade tackles in group A, B, C, and D .

Ado hinted that prominent clubs enlisted in the chase for glory, in this year’s edition includes, Proline fc, Clever Warriors, Azhuba fc, Kano Pillars fc(junior), Super Stars Sheka, Kwankwasiyya fc.

According to him, the usual fun fare attributes that distinct the competition is been sustained , adding that clubs from outside Kano jurisdiction would be in action. in this year’s edition.

He said VAR facilities would be deployed to help the officiating officials reach fair decisions , saying these gadgets would enable free flow of matches.

In his words “ all the features that made the tournament a memorable event will be sustained aside the prizes, to add competitive value to the chain, we will have Tiger fc from Funtua, Katsina state taking part in this new edition.”

Ado said “Super Stars Sheka will lock horns against Clever Warriors , in an highly anticipated thrilling opener, on 4th January at SAS .

Our correspondent gathered that prominent football personalities expected to witness the grand opener are, the chairman of National Sports Commission NSC, Alhaji Shehu Dikko. the incumbent president of the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF Ibrahim Gusau, Makaman Bichi, Isiyaku Umar Tofa, former president Nigeria Guild of Editors, NGE and commissioner of information, Kano state Halilu Baba Dantiye, chairman, Kano state Football Association, KSFA, Sherif Rabiu Inuwa, among others .

Partner with local VAR users to improve officiating, Salisu begs to NFF

Nigerian Football Federation NFF has been urged as a matter of urgency to deploy the use of VAR in Nigeria premier leagues.

This call was initiated as the result of some happenings in the ongoing premier league matches.

Reacting on the recent match involving Katsina United and Abia Warriors, the former chairman Media and Publicly of Galadima soccer competition, Ado Salisu said the centre referee awarded a goal to the visitors and later disallowed it after consultation with othe match officials in Katsina.

 ""It’s time to senitise our league and compete with the rest of the world in running the activities of football. 

Where NFF did not get it right is the live streaming of our league? From what is happening in our league today it’s not good for the game, we’re just showing our lapses to the world, the fans, referees, players and all stakeholders attitude is not what the world wants to see.""

""NFF should have deployed the VAR in the first instance to help sensitize the system and prepare our minds for the task ahead, then from there we can proceed and proudly to broadcast our matches live,'' he explained.

The former National Vice President Northwest added ""this was what happened in Kano during the Pre-Season competition of Alhaji Dr Ibrahim Galadima (former NFA chairman and currently patron Nigeria Olympic Committee) football competition, the organizers first deployed the use of VAR and live streaming in the subsequent editions and the competition is the most successful transparent football competition in the history of football competition in Kano.""

""Most recent events in katsina united vs Abia warriors demonstrate what is being transmitted live via streaming in the Nigerian premier league. All hands must be on desk to ensure that our football activities are on the right track for posterity and progress,'' he said 

While commending the leadership of NFF led by Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau for his commitment to ensure the growth of football game across the country, he urged him to redouble efforts in this direction.

Salisu said organizing seminars or workshop to referees on VAR will go along way in improving the quality and standard of the Nigerian Football Leagues.