Handball: 25 States Converge On Kaduna For National Division 1 League

Handball: 25 States Converge On Kaduna For National Division 1 League

Zainab Tanimu

Kaduna, North-West, Nigeria

Twenty-five teams across the 36 states of the nation will be battling it out at the on-going  2019 National League Division One Competition holding in Kaduna scheduled to begin today, Wednesday, November 13, 2019 at the Murtala Muhammed Square Kaduna.

This was disclosed to members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Sports Writers Association by the Secretary General, Handball Federation of Nigeria, Muhammed Haruna Maigidansama during a press conference held together with his team of officials from the Kaduna State Ministry of Sports Yesterday at the Murtala Muhammed Square Kaduna.

According to him,

“It is an event designed to engage our numerous teams with a view to gaining promotion to the Premier Division.

We are expecting about 25 teams. Altogether, Sixteen male, and 9 female teams. We have concluded in Lagos that 4 teams are going to relegation. Two male, two female. So, at the end of this championship, 4 teams will emerge to the premiership League.

“As l am talking to you,Team Benue and Kwara would arrive Kaduna. They are on their way while others would arrive on Thursday in preparation for the championship.

“So, there are clubs and some by implication states directly; like the teams from Kwara are the Adorable Queens and Adorable Stars; there is the Kogi Confluence Queens and Confluence Stars, the Police Machine, the Benue Buffalos and Benue Queens, Yankari Bulls, Yobe Desert Warriors, Katsina Desert Warriors among others”

Haruna in his address commended the officials of the Ministry and members of the LOC for their efforts towards ensuring the success of the event.

“We have the Director Sports, Kaduna State and his deputy, Chairman LOC who doubles as the Board member, Alhaji Abubakar Ahmed; member LOC, Alhaji Danjuma Mazu,Secretary LOC, Alhaji Yusuf, all have been working assiduously to put things in place to ensure a befitting outing.

He also commended the Kaduna State  Government for its support and befitting accommodation.

“We want to confirm to you that we have enjoyed the support of the Kaduna state government. This event is organized by us but in conjunction with the Kaduna state government who has ensured a befitting accommodation to the officials and the athletics as well giving us a very good medical coverage of the event including security. So, with this, we believe we are good to go.

Answering why Kaduna was chosen for the event, he has this to say.

“First and foremost, we are trying to diversify our events so that we do not concentrate on the south.

However, Kaduna has been an household name when it comes to handball. Before now they have won the African Championship, before now also, we have camped here two teams both junior and the cadet teams and it was from here we left for Niamey of which we conquered.

So, we have been here on and off in Kaduna and we have elite stars who have graduated to become major stakeholders as far as handball is concerned”. He said.

Speaking, the  Chairman,  Local Organizing Committee, (LOC), Abubakar Ahmed said Kaduna is known for handball and hospitality and that most of the states coming are the elite states from the six geo-political zones who are ever willing to come.

Abubakar is very optimistic that this year’s competition is going to be a wonderful one as everything is in top gear to make it a success.

The Kaduna State Director of Sports, Ibrahim Yakubu enumerating the level of preparedness by the Kaduna State Government has assured of a very fruitful outing as the Ministry he said has taken into cognizance all the needful that would make the competition a success and the officials and athletics a memorable stay.

The Director has described Kaduna as a state to be reckoned with in sports and he is of high hope of a good outing.

“Like you heard from the Secretary General, they chose Kaduna not because of anything but because of the levy playing ground. He talked of the acceptance given by my governor, to everybody.

Aside that, the atmosphere is conducive, the  people are hospitable, and we have sports facilities. Our expectation is really high.”

On the issue of security, “the message l am sending to my colleagues that are coming from other states is that, Kaduna is safe, you will be secured and sincerely speaking the notion that Kaduna has problem is not true.

There has not been a day without an activity taking place in Kaduna including international activities. So, I am saying, Kaduna is safe. People should relax and come to Kaduna. He encouraged.