THE EXCEPTIONAL AND GIANT STRIDES OF KOGI STATE HANDBALL ASSOCIATION CHAIRMAN..... Mr Jibril Ojih Saidu (FNIQS)
GODWIN WAMBEBE
One Sport that Kogi State is known for and has won laurels for the State is Handball. No doubt, the game of handball has placed the 33 years old State on the World map as it has remained one of the few Sports that has brought fame, honour and accolade to the Confluence State.
In the early years after it's creation, aside football, the game of handball has remained one game that Kogi State is known and recognized with as it has produced a handful of world class Stars who have gone ahead to represent and do Nigeria proud.
Every nook and cranny of Kogi State used to produce top handballers in the past especially the mid 90s into the Millennium with Idah local government area always taking the lead. That was a time when genuine and passionate administrators govern the State sport sector.
Things later took a downward turn when the passion, desire , determination and love for the game started dying and the game was relegated to the background.
The coming of Mr Jibril Ojih Saidu into the saddle as the Chairman of Kogi State Handball Association changed the narrative as the State witnessed the rescucitation of the game of handball in Kogi State and the return of the lost glory of the game.
In the few years he has held sway as the Chairman of Kogi State Handball Association, there's no doubt that he has turned around the fortune of the game and has also made giant strides in the game thereby making Handball one of the most loved Sports after Football as the State kept on attending and honoring championships after championship despite little or no support from relevant quarters.
Appreciable percentage of achievements has so far been recorded in this game during the administration of Mr Jibril Ojih Saidu. These achievements were made possible because of his philanthropic gesture, Love and passion for the game and the strong desire to see Kogi State handballers progress and succeed in their chosen profession.
Those who knows Mr Jibril Ojih Saidu will agree that he is highly skilled and endowed with strategic brilliance, intelligence, Leadership and Managerial understanding of the game of handball which is why he has remained absolutely relevant not just here in Kogi State but at the National level and the Continent of Africa. All these have earned him accolades for his remarkable achievements both at home and at the national level.
After his appointment as the Chairman of Kogi State Handball Association, the state Handball teams have participated in the following tournament:
1. National U18 Handball championship in Lagos 2017.(Both male & female). The male team were crowned champions
2. National Division one Handball league 2018(Confluence Stars and Queens)
3. National Division one Handball league 2019(Confluence Stars and Queens)
4. Prudent Energy Handball Premier League 2019(Confluence Stars and Queens)
5. Prudent Energy Handball Premier League 2020(Confluence Stars)
6. Prudent Energy Handball Premier League 2021(Confluence Stars)
7. North Central Handball League 2021(Confluence Stars and Queens)
8. Prudent Energy Handball Premier League 2022(Confluence Stars)
9. North Central Handball League 2022(Confluence Stars and Queens)
10. Prudent Energy Handball Premier League 2023(Confluence Stars)
11. Division one Handball league 2023 ( Confluence Kings)
12. Division one Handball league ( Confluence Kings)
In the above tournaments which Kogi State Handball teams have participated in, they have won:
1. The National U18 in 2017
2. Won and qualify to the Handball Premier League at the National Division one in 2019( both teams)
3. Placed 3rd at the North Central Handball League 2021 & 2022 respectively
His achievements didn't stop with the State teams participating in Nation tournaments but also, under his leadership the Kogi State Handball Association has organize Kogi State inter Local Government handball competitions for U18 and U21 (male and female) in 2019 to begin the process of returning the lost glory of the game that brought fame and honours to the Confluence State in the past.
Apart from being the Chairman of Kogi State Handball Association, Mr Jibril Ojih Saidu (FNIQS) is also the Board Member representing North Central at the Handball Federation of Nigeria (HFN) and also the Secretary General of the Commonwealth Handball Association (CHA)
No doubt, Mr Jibril Ojih Saidu stands out as one of Nigeria and Africa's finest Sport administrators due to his philanthropic nature, dedication, Leadership qualities, passion, resilience, doggedness and vision to develop the game of handball at every level.
KOGI state handball was known for under age category handball in Nigeria. It will amuse us to know that under the chairmanship of Mr jubri saidu, KOGI state Glory in under age category handball vanished and was lost totally . Sokoto state hosted U12/15 handball championship for five year from 2019 to 2023, KOGI state under the watch of jubril saidu KOGI state team has never attended even one of this competition even when sokoto is able to give free feeding and accomodation to all participants. Also, we will recall, that the much celebrated confluence star under the same chairmanship went to Lagos for the premier league and on their way back, the team had an accident and the chairman Issue a press statement stating that KOGI state government abandoned the team without taking responsibility of which generated a counter response which was clearly debunked by the sports council as the chairman never informed the sports council nor got approval for travel in the first place so it's not out of place for the state to debunked such audacity to travel with a state team without permission and approval. Also, the neglect for coaches in KOGI state and official was other of the day during the tenureship of Mr jubril saidu where in his usually practice always bring coaches and official from outside the state and left the state coaches and official obselete. Posterity will judge anyone who is saying jubril saidu brought development strive to KOGI state handball. These same chairman has send away soma my association members in KOGI state because of his self acclaimed lord over others. The time to step aside and allow person's with better interest of objective of purpose for KOGI state handball is now. Thank you Mr jubril saidu for taking us backwards and media propaganda can not take away the rot you brought to KOGI state handball as chairman. We need better and more competent leadership in KOGI state handball. Jubril Saidu your tenure is over park your load and leave kogi State handball we were better before you came. One love keep us together
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ReplyDeleteBecause of his bitter heart with KOGI state, the state handball team confluence star did not participate in the first phase or the Ardova premier league and as it's stand the team confluence star is on its way to religation under the watch of the chairman kogi State handball Mr jubril saidu, we need leadership with objective of purpose for KOGI state handball now. Thank you Mr jubril saidu for taking us backwards and propaganda can not take away the rot you brought to KOGI state handball as chairman. We need better and more competent leadership in KOGI state handball. Jubril Saidu your tenure is over park your load and leave kogi State handball we were better before you came. One love keep us together
ReplyDeletePeople who are familiar with the trend of handball in KOGI state have this to say and I have to also publish here. *READ WITH KEEN INTEREST THE ABOVE APPRAISAL OF HANDBALL GAME IN KOGI STATE , IN THE LAST SEVEN (7) YEARS. IT IS VERY UNFORTUNATE THAT, AN APPRAISAL CAN BE GIVEN BY SOMEBODY WHO IS AND NEVER ONCE BE A MEMBER OF HANDBALL FAMILY IN KOGI STATE. APPRAISAL IS GIVEN WHEN YOU COMPARE THE PASTS WITH THE PRESENT RECORDS. NOT MANY BUT FEW IS COMPETENT TO TALK ABOUT THE PROGRESS OF HANDBALL IN KOGI STATE. AS ONE OF THE FOUNDERS OF HANDBALL IN KOGI STATE SINCE 1991 WHEN THE STATE WAS CREATED AND FULL PARTICIPATION IN THE DEVELOPMENTAL AND PROGRESS RECORDS OF HANDBALL IN KOGI STATE, I CAN CATEGORICALLY AND STRONGLY STATE THAT THE ABOVE APPRAISAL LACKS MERITS BECAUSE ALL THE ACCLAIMED ACHIEVEMENTS HAVE RETURNED TO ZERO LEVEL. WHERE IS THE ACHIEVEMENTS WHEN WE HAVE LOST OUR GLORIES OF UNDER AGED CHAMPIONS IN NIGERIA AND THE SO CALLED PRUDENT/ ARDOVA LEAGUE TEAM OF KOGI STATE IS NO MORE. SPORTS IS NEVER A ONE MAN SHOW BUT A COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITIES OF PEOPLE EITHER FINANCIALLY, MORALLY, TACTICALLY AND OR SPIRITUALLY. IT IS VERY UNFORTUNATE THAT, THE LAST SEVEN ( 7 ) YEARS OF HANDBALL IN KOGI STATE HAVE BEEN VERY UNFORTUNATE AND A WASTEFUL ONES. OUR COLLECTIVE RESOLVES TO REPOSITION HANDBALL IN KOGI STATE CANNOT BE COMPROMISED. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. NO MORE PERSONAL BARIGAMENTALS. WE DON'T PRESENTLY HAVE AN ASSOCIATION CALLED HANDBALL BUT A TWO ( 2 ) MAN PERSONAL SELF INTERESTS. AN ELDER ONCE SAID , THE IDOL YOU WORSHIP, IF IT CANNOT BENEFITS YOU , SHOULD NOT ADD MORE SORROW TO YOUR WELL BEING, THEREFORE, SHOULD HONOURABLELLY LEAVE YOU AND NOT ADD MORE PAINS. OUR COLLECTIVE RESOLVES TO REPOSITION HANDBALL IN THE STATE IS JUST WITHIN TWO (2) YEARS , WE WILL LEAVE THIS MESS OF HANDBALL STAGNANCY IN KOGI STATE. THIS IS JUST PART ONE OF THE STATE AFFAIRS OF HANDBALL IN KOGI STATE, THE SERIES OF DAMAGES TO HANDBALL AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL SHALL BE MENTIONED, WHEN NECESSARY. LEAVE US ALONE. WE CAN COLLECTIVELY DO IT AND RETURN TO OUR LOST PAST GLORIES. THANKS. BY; COMRADE ( ELDER ) CHIEF MOSES BALOGUN ( CAHB, IHF )*
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