Bako Ibrahim is the immediate scribe of Kwara United FC of Ilorin and the secretary, Main Organising Commitee, 7th Kwara Festival. In this interview with MIKE ADEYEMI, he speaks about the readiness of the state to host 7th Kwara Festival as well as the urgent need for Kwara State to join the leagues of other states operating sports commission. Excerpts:
You are back to the Ministry of Sports having meritorious service as Kwara Utd scribe. How has been the experience?
It is indeed a great one. You know in the ministry, there is this bureaucracy where you had to work in accordance with the tenets of the civil service.
Such is the administrative bottleneck here. I think its a good experience. My working experience in Kwara United Football Club is indeed a fulfilled one having worked with many people of high experience. And I have no regrets at all.
The 7th Kwara Festival is around the corner, can you avail us with the level of preparedness?
In fact the members of MoC, the Permanent Secretary and the Commissioner of Sports has done tremendously well by supporting the committee in the area of making things very easy.
The committee had visited almost every facets of sports administration. We ‘ve met with all the DPMs Local Government, we had meetings with sports co-ordinators of every local government.
We met also with the SSG, the HoS, the Chief of staff, the deputy governor and we have created an awareness to let them know the benefits inherent in the festival.
The committee has also been able to move round all the 16 local governments of the state and indeed it was very eventful. The way we were received shows the level of the preparedness of all the local governments, including the Chiefs, the Emirs and the Obas we met. All of them received us well.
His Excellency, the Governor of Kwara State has also releases some monies to the local government to enables them move to the festival. The initial complain by the Local Government was there is no money to move the athletes to Ilorin. We thank God, the governor has answered to that request and has release sum of money for them.
What is the festival meant to achieved?
The next National Festival is coming up in Edo State by March and that is why we are doing what we are doing now so that we will be able to identify talent from the grassroots that will be groom to stardom to represent Kwara at the mundia.
That is the basic reason for stagging the festival . To identify talents from the cradle.
How much has the preparation for the festival cost the Kwara State Government?
In fact, His excellency did surprise everybody. He has approved the sum of 20 million naira for the festival and in fairness to him, such money has never been approved for any festival in the state.
So for the Governor approving such money shows his readiness to get the youths out of their restiveness as well as the behaviour that are not good for the society.
What is your position on the agitation for sports commission in Kwara State?
I think the sport commission idea will definitely help to standardize and improve sports in the state.
The ministry is doing well, but the commission will do more. I’m of the opinion that Kwara State should also join the leagues of other states operating commission. I think its a laudable initiative.
(Cuts- in) Are you saying its introduction wouldn’t hamper the activities of the sports council?
No. Commission has a wider scope than the ministry. The commission operated with not less down 6 directors, while in the ministry we have just 1 director.
If you accommodate 6 directors, it will relatively accommodates more personnel.
If you go to all local governments now, you will discover that there is no sports co-ordinators to organise sports at the grassroots.
With sports commission in place, sports will come back to light, coaches will be employed and would be moved to the rural area. I think it is a very good initiative.
How would you discribe the present administration empathy on sports development?
The present Kwara State Government have taken the bull by the horn and indeed they have led the way to a new dawn in sports development in the state.
