The newly elected vice chairman of Kogi State Football Association, Hassan Mohammed Wada, said the reason why he contested the post was due to his decade-and-half long passionate role in developing football, not for political interest.
Mr Wada emerged unopposed following the disqualification of vice chairman aspirant Mr Shina Akande who hailed from the same western district with the newly elected chairman Umar Isah.
In the event, but still had to satisfy the statutory requirement of two-third ‘yes’ vote of the delegates after he won 14 of 16 votes cast by the eligible delegates, to serve as the vice chairman for the next four years.
Hassan, who is the son of the current Kogi state governor Capt Idris Wada, while pledging his loyalty and support assured the Umar Isah led state FA board will reposition football in the state.
“I don’t want you to look at me as the son of the governor of the state. I want you to look at me base on my antecedents in football which did not start when we came into Kogi state. I’ve actually been in football development for the past 15 years.
“I felt I have a lot to offer and felt that it’s good to start from the Vice Chairmanship not the chairmanship because there are people in this state who have sustained football and when they offer themselves for leadership position, the least we can do is to support them. That’s why I vied for the vice chairmanship position.
“I don’t think you should look as it been a second fiddle, I believe in the person of Alhaji Umar (chairman) – he will delegate responsibilities and we who are other members on the board will do all we can to ensure the FA is stronger and better.
“I don’t want to blow my trumpet, we are doing it with Kogi United and Confluence Queens – we will do it with Kogi state and we shall vibrate at the national level.
He further said the newly-inaugurated board will focus on talent discovery through grassroot competitions to gainfully utilise the ultra-modern Confluence Stadium which will afterwards attract local and international sponsorships to the state.
“Well, the first phase we have to get our boys kicking football, get good coaching. Make sure our boys are marketable. Get good teams that are watchable. That way, interests will come from outside to see how they can possibly inject finances into football in the state.
“But everything is done in phase not under the illusion that in four years time Kogi state will be number one in football, but in next four years we will be better than where we are today,” he continued.
“(On stadium) Well, the first phase, we (board) must be able to raise awareness within the state. Footballers in Kogi must know that we have a good facility here in Lokoja and we must come up with competitions that will bring them to come and play.
“I believe once our players start competing in the (Lokoja Confluence) stadium, we can now go on to the national and organiser national championships to see how teams come to play in Lokoja,” he concluded.
