Olanrewaju Lawal,Birnin Kebbi
Kebbi State football team has defeated Bauchi state by 2-0 to emerged as the champion of the 2020 under 18 North West tournament for second term.
The tournament, organized by the Youth Sports Federation of Nigeria [YSFON] and sponsored by Dr. Nasir Yusuf was held in Kaduna state. The Kebbi state team has won the tournament in 2019 and retains the trophy in 2020.
Addressing the team on their arrival in Birnin Kebbi yesterday, Commissioner for Sports and Youth Development, Alhaji Gidado Akiyu Kaliyah commended the team for their doggedness and sacrifice for the state.
He said: “ on behalf of His Excellency, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, we welcome you back to kebbi state as the champion of the northwest competition. And we would like to thank you for your doggedness, for your strong efforts in achieving this goal. It is not easy to beat the runner up 2-0, that’s means you are overweigh them and I congratulate you for that. His Excellency congratulate you for that.
“ As you all known, Governor Abubakar Atiku bagudu is very passionate in developing talented youths in sports, especially in the area of football in the state. As you all know, we have a footballer call Zaidu Sanusi who is now playing for FC Porto, he is from kebbi state from Jega local government and he started exactly like you. You can all achieve what he had achieved even more. As he set a good example for you, we shall all support you to have many footballer like Zaidu Sanusi or you can do better than him.
“This is great achievement for us and I am very sure, His Excellency will be happy that you have won the competition for two consentive years. It is not small achievement, Kebbi government is proud of you. And Whatever you will require to achieve your goal, Kebbi state government, Ministry of Sports and Youths Development will be ready to do it for you”.
He commended their coaches, SSA on Sports and other officials for their support to the team stressed that without their inputs the team success won’t be achieved.