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FCT FA Visits Abaji, Gwagwalada Area Councils For Football Development

Published

6 years ago

February 11, 2020

The Board, FCT Football Association on Tuesday visited Chairmen of Abaji and Gwagwalada Area Councils for football development. The delegation led by the first Vice-Chairman, Saliu Kolo started off visit to the six FCT Area Councils from Abaji.

Kolo described the visit as a wake-up call to the chairmen of the Area Councils and as a reminder to start programmes to discover budding talents scattered across the FCT.

The six FCT FA Board members started by paying a courtesy visit to Abaji Area Council chairman, Alh. Abdulrahman Ajiya who embraced the developmental programmes of the Association and channel the way forward for grassroots football development in FCT.

The Chairman, represented by the Executive Secretary, Abaji Area Council, Alh. Ahmed Sulaiman welcomes and thanked the football governing body for coming to develop the game of football in their Area Council.

He admitted that Abaji is lagging behind and attributed the reason to lack of adequate information and however believed that they are ready to supports the FA whenever they want to implement their programmes on football development in the Council.

He is confident that at the end of such programmes Abaji will produce a world class player who will be known all over the world because according to him there are many raw talents scattered all over the Area Council.

In his word, “We are happy to receive the Board members of the FCT FA, particularly for coming with the aim of developing football in our Area Council. We are lagging behind in football development, we want our coaches and players to be exposed and this is the right time to do that.

“Please, we really need you and we are ready to support your Association whenever you are ready to implement the your football development programs. We have many talented players that are yet to be discovered and we will rely on your experience to get them to stardom.”

On his part, FCT FA First Vice-Chairman, Hon. Saliu Kolo, described Abaji as a hub of football talents and was confident that many budding young talents will be discovered by the end of the Association’s developmental programmes. He said the FA will roll out many programmes for coaches and footballers which will expose them to the new techniques and rules of the game.

The FCT FA Secretary, Haruna Usman Ilerika, said that the discovered players will have the opportunity of taking advantage of being included in the developmental programs provided by the association which is aimed at exposing them to the world.

The Board as part of the schedule also visited Gwagwalada Area Council to sensitize the chairman on their plans to discover talented players hidden in the Council and place them on the platform that will expose them to the world.

Hon. Kolo started by appreciating the Area Council for giving the Board the opportunity to visit and notify about their developmental programmes despite short notice adding that the visit is to bring the experience of the national team coaches in the Association to develop footballers and coaches in Gwagwalada.

He said with the help of the coaches, a team will be raised in Gwagwalada and will also orgainse seminars for coaches in Gwagwalada Area Council.

He urged the council to liaise and support with the Coaches Association for grassroots football development.

The Vice Chairman of the Area Council, Hon Kasim Mohammed who represented Chairman, welcomes the FA Board members, said that the game of football creates employment and wealth, he also emphasized that sports creates social vices, and promised that the Council is ready to support the development of the game.

He however, identified the challenges faced by the council, he said there are many abandoned sports center projects adding unavailability of comprehensive sports center in Gwagwalada makes it difficult for the Council to come up with sports development programs.

He then revealed that the council is working on getting individuals and cooperate entities to help them complete all the uncompleted sports centers which are multi-million naira projects.

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Nigeria’s Historic Bid for the 2030 Commonwealth Games: A Call for National and Global Support

Published

1 week ago

September 30, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

Nigeria is poised to make history as it seeks to host the Centenary Commonwealth Games in 2030, a monumental opportunity that promises to transform the nation’s economy, infrastructure, and global standing.

More than a sporting spectacle, the Games would serve as a catalyst for development across multiple sectors, leaving behind a legacy of national pride and sustainable growth.

The benefits of hosting the Games extend far beyond the sports arena. Nigeria stands to gain both empirical and non-empirical advantages, with direct, indirect, and induced impacts that will touch every corner of society. Infrastructural development will take center stage, with new facilities such as indoor sports halls, conference centers, and improved road networks reshaping urban landscapes while strengthening the nation’s capacity to host future international events.

Economic growth is another significant dividend. Over 10,000 jobs are expected to be created, spanning construction, facility management, event planning, and tourism services.

The hospitality industry will undergo major improvements as hotels and resorts are upgraded to meet international standards, while local restaurants, lounges, and tourist attractions will see a surge in patronage from international visitors. Small and medium enterprises, particularly in the transport, finance, and food service sectors, will become some of the greatest beneficiaries, as the Games generate new demand and expand opportunities for local businesses.
The Commonwealth Games will also accelerate the growth of Nigeria’s sports industry.

Investments in training facilities, coaching, and talent development will inspire a new generation of athletes, ensuring long-term benefits that extend beyond 2030, a major focus of the President Bola Tinubu administration.
At the same time, the process of preparing for the Games will create opportunities for Nigerians to learn new crafts, acquire technical skills, and engage in global-standard event management, thereby strengthening human capacity and innovation across industries.

Mallam Shehu Dikko, Chairman of the Nigeria Sports Commission, and Hon. Bukola Olopade, the Director General, have been widely recognized for their tireless and visionary leadership in repositioning Nigeria’s sporting sector.

Their commitment to facilitating infrastructural development and strengthening grassroots sports development has laid the foundation for Nigeria’s bold bid to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games. Under their leadership, the NSC is fostering strategic partnerships and driving innovation in sports administration, they have demonstrated the nation’s readiness to stage an event of such global magnitude.

Beyond the tangible gains, the hosting of the 2030 Commonwealth Games carries profound symbolic value. It would be a moment of unity and pride, a chance for Nigeria to showcase its cultural richness, resilience, and excellence to the world.
As a centenary edition, the Games would stand as a historic milestone not just for the Commonwealth but for Nigeria itself, cementing its place on the global stage as a capable, ambitious, and forward-looking nation.

The gains from hosting the Commonwealth Games can never be undermined or overemphasized. This is Nigeria’s time to step forward and show the world our resilience, and excellence. We call on every Nigerian, across sectors and communities, to support this noble aspiration.

Nigeria’s pursuit of the 2030 Commonwealth Games is a vision for transformation, a blueprint for national development, and a legacy project that will inspire generations to come.

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