Kwara United Football Club on Sunday May 11, 2025, defeated Rivers United to ease relegation worries, irrespective of what the result of their last match of the season against Katsina United in Katsina will be.
No matter what anybody will proffer, it’s another season of sustainability of its Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) status.
With that settled, the focus will now be on the President Federation Cup competition. The team is presently at the semi-final stage, having defeated Akwa United 5-3 on penalties, after a two-all draw in the quarter-final match decided in Enugu some weeks back.
The semi-final feat, which the team hasn’t achieved since it’s formation in 1997, was greeted with great enthusiasm and applause by Supporters, Fans, followers and lovers of the club.
Respect must be accorded the management, players and non-playing staff of the Club for blazing the trail; going all the way to climb up to that level in the Premier cup football competition introduced as Governors’ Cup in the 40s.
Going down memory lane, Kwara is one of the first states to make a tremendous impact in sports, and in football in particular, especially the era of Academicals in the 70s.
It’s on record that since then, only one Club from the state, the defunct Alyuf Salam Rocks was able to play in the final of the competition, when they lost the 1976 final to Enugu Rangers by 2-0.
Kwara United Football Club, formed in 1997, is yet to win the trophy, and which has gone through different names under different arrangements, and now known as the President Federation Cup competition.
The farthest Kwara United Football Club has gone in the competition was reaching the quarter-finals on a few occasions, and achieving a semi-final feat only this season.
The last time they reached the last eight was in 2023, when they advanced to the quarter-finals after beating Nasarawa United 1-0, but got eliminated by Plateau United 1-0.
However, the team, under the name, Water Corporation and Utility Bombers had done so, also on a few occasions.
In 1979, then known as the Challenge Cup, Water Corporation FC reached the quarter-final, and were eliminated 2-1 by Bendel Insurance. In 1980, the team, still known as Water Corporation, advanced to the semi-finals and lost to the same Bendel Insurance FC.
In 1987, competing as Utility Bombers, they reached the semi-finals, where they lost to the defunct Abiola Babes Football Club.
Going forward, Kwara United has proven beyond reasonable doubt that they can rewrite history through the competition this season. The potential is there, but they need our support, motivation and prayers. For the Governor, it’s history in the making. For Kwarans, it’s a record in the making.
For the Kwara State Sports Commission therefore, this is the right time to swing into action. The team needs to be absolutely motivated to go all the way, and win the much needed trophy, not only to compensate for the Governor’s sacrifice for sports and youth development, but to be among the long list of states that has won the trophy.
It’s on record that the players and officials are presently being owed some match bonuses. They would need to be paid for all these outstandings. Again, the bonus for the semi-final clash against Rangers International would need to be doubled, if not tripled. And the players and officials would also need to be promised enough motivation should they win the trophy.
Four teams are in the semi-final. They are Nigeria National League side, Abakaliki FC, Lagos based Ikorodu City, Enugu Rangers of Enugu and Kwara United Football Club of Ilorin. That is to say that, Kwara United will be shouldering the cause of not only the North Central, but the whole of the North.
The club will also need the assistance of well meaning Kwarans, especially at this stage.
Kwara United has come a long way in history. The history needs to be re-written. The team has also come a long way this season. They need the push of the government and all of us, to, at the end of it all, go all the way to win the trophy, for the state, for North Central, for the whole of the North, and above all, our Sports loving Governor, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.
Now is the time to act. No sentiment, no compromise.
