Stakeholders in grassroots football in Kwara State have called for a more conducive operational environment to sustain football development and ease the growing financial burden on private club owners participating in the Nigeria Nationwide League One (NLO).
The call was made during the Kwara SWAN Hard Talk programme held at the George Agbazika Innih Stadium Complex, Ilorin, where football administrators highlighted the challenges confronting grassroots football clubs in the state.
Speaking during the session, Chairman of Abraysports, Alhaji Yusuf Abdullahi, lamented the high cost of using the George Agbazika Innih Stadium Complex, stressing that most clubs only use the facility because there are no viable alternatives.
According to him, private club owners are going through difficult times in their efforts to keep youths meaningfully engaged through football, despite the enormous financial commitments involved.
“If we have alternatives, we would not be using the State Stadium Complex because of the high cost. We are doing this for football development in the state and to keep youths positively engaged,” Abdullahi said.
He also decried the lack of synergy among football stakeholders in Kwara State, noting that stronger collaboration is needed to create a more enabling environment for grassroots football to thrive.
Abdullahi disclosed that many football clubs are emerging across Kwara South, Kwara North and other parts of the state ahead of next season’s NLO campaign, a development he described as evidence that football awareness has spread beyond Ilorin, the state capital.
He maintained that the availability of more affordable and accessible football pitches would help expose the growing number of grassroots clubs and further enhance football development across the state.
The Abraysports Chairman, however, commended Engr. Olaide Ahmed for his consistent support for grassroots football, while charging members of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Kwara State chapter, to continue advocating for the survival and growth of grassroots football in the state.
Also speaking at the programme, Director of Football of LA Planet Academia, Alhaji Mallick Olasunkanmi, described football administration as highly capital intensive, saying that player transfers, both local and international, remain one of the few major sources of income available to private football clubs.
The Ilorin-born football administrator explained that sustainability in football management can only be achieved when clubs operate within their financial capacity and avoid spending beyond their available resources.
According to Olasunkanmi, many NLO clubs in Kwara State are currently struggling to survive due to exorbitant levies and operational expenses, particularly payments for match venues and training pitches.
He stressed that the financial burden on club owners has become overwhelming, adding that more support from individuals and corporate partners would go a long way in sustaining grassroots football development.
Olasunkanmi also appreciated the Chief Executive Officer of Cyteck, Engr. Ahmed Olaide, for his unwavering support for football teams in the state, noting that the involvement of more stakeholders and partners would significantly reduce the pressure on club owners.
Both football administrators expressed satisfaction with the peaceful conduct of teams participating in the ongoing NLO campaign in Ilorin and called for sustained harmony among clubs and stakeholders to further strengthen Kwara State’s reputation as a peaceful sporting destination.
