BY ABDULGAFAR OLADIMEJI.
Former Nigeria Professional Football League, NPFL winners and reigning AITEO cup champions Kano Pillars are operating in a frustrating circumstance that could dampen the glorious chances of the team and expose the players and officials to security threats.
Sports sources that confided in our reporter expressed worries over the constant breakdown of the club buses on Nigeria’s highways.
Our checks revealed that the Kano side parades rickety buses that could hardly travel 70 kilometres without developing a mechanical fault.
An impeccable source, who lamented the hectic and dangerous situation confronting the club, disclosed that the club bus conveying the players to Enugu to honour a league match in the Southern region recently broke down thrice.
The source “ we are becoming embarrassed, Kano Pillars players were travelling from Kaduna to Enugu to honour a league match, it is was so bad that the bus developed mechanical fault three times.
Our correspondent reports that the fleet of buses that convey the players and officials to various regions of the country to honour NPFL weekly fixtures were donated to the club by governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje in his first term as the executive governor of the state.
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Effort to contact the management officials to comment on the situation proved futile, close sources revealed that they were busy attending to club schedules.
The fanatical fans of Sai Masu Gida, who learnt of the transportation phenomenon battling the team have described the situation as catastrophic, the fans have raised the red flag over the issue pleading with the state governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje to come to the rescue of their darling club.
Nasiru Umar a club fan, when quizzed by our correspondent said “ it berates my imagination that the players and officials of Kano Pillars a popular and top club in Nigeria and Africa are travelling in rickety buses, our governor needs to act fast to save us from this disgrace.
A 60 years old ardent follower of the club, Abdullahi Gama bemoan the likely consequences that may result from the underprivileged transportation confronting the club.
Gama said “we know how bad the roads across Nigeria can be, week in week out the players and management are on the highways to play their league’s matches, no wonder the coach complained of fatigue when they lost to their opponent in far away Uyo, last week.
“for the players to be travelling in bad buses on bad roads, that the bus broke down thrice on the way smells dangerous, if you consider the security challenges in the country, don’t forget these are stars, the players deserve better, the state government should please save our darling team.”
A top sports administrator, who pleaded for anonymity, commended the state government for its tireless support to the team, considering the harsh economic climate though decry the pains endured by the players and officials when the club sojourn to honour away matches.
The official said “ honesty we have to say kudos to our state government under governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, irrespective of the bad travelling conditions, the team is we motivated, salaries and other entitlements are paid when due, the team is performing and the best further motivation the players and officials can get right now, is for the state government to relief the layers of the pains of travelling under very poor conditions due to the mechanical deficit of the team buses. “
