Opinion

From Grassroots to Greatness: Mouktar’s Support Drive for Rising Sports Stars

Published

7 months ago

April 16, 2025

By Joel Ajayi

In the world of sports, greatness often begins at the grassroots level. From local community leagues to school programs, grassroots sports development plays a crucial role in identifying and nurturing young talent, shaping the future of athletics, and inspiring the next generation of champions.

At its core, grassroots sports development encompasses programs and initiatives designed to introduce young people to sports, provide them with opportunities for skill-building and competition, and foster a lifelong love for physical activity. These programs serve as fertile ground for talent discovery, allowing coaches and scouts to identify promising young athletes and provide them with the support and resources they need to excel.

Through participation in local leagues, tournaments, and talent identification camps, young athletes are given platforms to showcase their abilities and attract the attention of scouts and mentors. Additionally, grassroots programs expose youths to both mainstream and emerging sports, enabling them to explore various interests and passions—ultimately creating a more dynamic and inclusive sporting ecosystem.

This is the exact path championed by one man: Alhaji Mohammed Adam Mouktar, Chairman of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Football Association. While Mouktar has long been celebrated for his contributions to football, his recent efforts have extended into other sporting disciplines—most notably, Judo.

Thanks to Mouktar’s visionary leadership, numerous young footballers have been elevated from obscurity to prominence. His commitment to nurturing talent knows no bounds. Having already etched his name in gold in the world of football, Mouktar is now making an impact in Judo—further demonstrating his unwavering support for grassroots sports.

Over the weekend, Mouktar sponsored the just-concluded FCT Grassroots Junior Judo Championship—a tournament affiliated with the Nigeria Judo Federation and organized in collaboration with the Sports Department of the Youth and Sports Secretariat, FCT, and the Tichard Agbonifo Hand2Hand Foundation.

The championship drew over 200 young athletes from six North-Central states: FCT, Plateau, Niger, Kogi, Kwara, and Nasarawa.

During the event, Mouktar underscored the significance of grassroots development in uncovering hidden talent. “This event is more than just a competition,” he stated. “It is a celebration of discipline, respect, courage, and the limitless potential of our youth.”

He added, “Judo is a sport that instills discipline and builds character. It promotes unity and empowers young people to believe in themselves and work hard to achieve their dreams.”

“Our investment in grassroots sports like Judo is an investment in the future of Nigeria. I firmly believe that talent is everywhere—but it needs the right opportunities to shine. That’s why I am committed to supporting and sponsoring initiatives that give our young athletes the chance to grow, compete, and become champions—both on and off the mat.”

To the young Judokas, Mouktar offered words of encouragement: “This is your day. Show your skills, your heart, and your determination. Remember, every great champion started right where you are now.”

He also praised the efforts of the coaches, organizers, and parents: “Thank you for your dedication and hard work. You are shaping the next generation of strong, disciplined, and focused Nigerians. Let us continue to build a brighter future for Nigerian sports—starting at the grassroots.”

Joel Ajayi is the Sports Editor of AljazirahNigeria Newspaper and a member of the FCT Chapter of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN).

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Opinion

The Greater Abuja Land Heist: The Yesufu Family, Colleen Mero Yesufu, AGIS, and the Hidden Hands of a Billion-Naira Empire

Published

2 days ago

October 29, 2025

The Gleamer

By Dominion Duke

A civil society organisation under the banner of the National Advocacy for Justice and Truth (NAFJAT) has raised a clarion call, accusing estate agency owner Colleen Mero Yesufu of brazenly violating the 1978 Land Use Act through a campaign of alleged land grabbing.

Speaking to journalists in Abuja, NAFJAT’s National Coordinator, Barr. Uthman Zango, described the leaked documents that supposedly expose Yesufu’s sprawling land acquisitions as a “stain on justice.” He expressed astonishment at how Yesufu could reportedly manipulate the Abuja Geographic Information System (AGIS) to secure plots under multiple first names—an action that, if true, would strike at the heart of Nigeria’s land laws.

*“In Katampe District,” Zango explained, *“File No. MISC/89XX/AGIS/2020 lists Mero Y. as an allottee — ‘Application Approved, Ministerial Consent Granted.’
Weeks later, in Kabusu, a record shows C. Yesufu under ‘New Regularization – Revalidated.’ Same surname, different first names, the same month of approval. Across Jahi, Apo, Orozo, and Guzape, the same pattern repeats — overlapping allocations, identical handwriting, synchronized endorsements. Each document fits into the next like pieces of a puzzle only insiders could assemble.”

Zango lamented what he believes to be an unholy alliance between Yesufu and government officials, claiming that hardworking Nigerians have been defamed while the “true land grabber” evaded scrutiny. He underscored the need for a comprehensive investigation into the alleged “shady deals” that facilitated the land acquisitions and urged Nigerians to see through what he called a “blackmailing machine driven by envy, jealousy, and baseless hatred.”

Calling on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to scrutinise the leaked documents, Zango warned that land in the Federal Capital Territory—already scarce and meant to be tightly regulated—must not be commodified by a privileged few. AGIS records allegedly show the Yesufu family obtaining several prime plots within months, while countless applicants wait.

“This kind of abnormality is only possible with complicity from the inside,” Zango asserted. “Someone is feeding them timing, file codes, and clearance windows. That’s not luck — that’s access.”

He pointed to matching “Accepted,” “Scanned,” and “Temporary Revalidation” stamps as evidence of systemic fast-tracking, implying that the Yesufu family were not merely beneficiaries but active participants in a wider conspiracy. He expressed frustration over what he sees as public complacency in the face of such alleged wrongdoing.

When rumours of multiple plots began to circulate, Zango noted, the Yesufu family allegedly sought to deflect attention by accusing others. Documents show that Mrs. Rebecca Godwin-Isaac’s lands were lawfully acquired on the secondary market, yet she was tarnished, while the Yesufu name appeared on initial AGIS approvals. This inversion of guilt, Zango argued, was a calculated diversion.

He accused AGIS of systemic manipulation and highlighted the recurring term “Temporary Revalidation” across the Yesufu files, insisting that “until those files are opened, AGIS will remain a crime scene disguised as a database.” According to Zango, the Yesufu family’s alleged land empire was built not with bulldozers but with stamps, connections, and a bureaucracy reluctant to resist.

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