Nigerian football administrators are threading new lane after some of them embraced politics and one of them is Alhaji Aminu Balele Kurfi, Chairman of the Katsina State Football Association and Chairman of the NFF Committee on Youth Competitions who said his decision was based on his interest to change the lots of his people. TUNDE LIADI writes
Nigeria’s football administrators, Alhaji Aminu Balele Kurfi and Ekene Abubakar Adams, have joined Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah on the political terrain after they were elected as members of the House of Representatives, while Ubah returned as Senator to the upper chamber.
Kurfi is the current Chairman of the Katsina State Football Association and Chairman of the NFF Committee on Youth Competitions, while Adams is the General Manager of Remo Stars Football Club, a Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) team.
Ubah, proprietor of defunct FC IfeanyiUbah FC and former Member of the Organising Committee for the Africa Cup of Nations, returned to the Senate for a second term in office.
Kurfi, a grassroots mobiliser and an astute football administrator said his priority would be to address some of the challenges in Dutsin-ma/Kurfi Federal Constituency of Katsina.
He added that tackling insecurity, youths’ unemployment, health and education challenges as well as other infrastructural issues would be paramount to him.
“I am faced with challenging circumstances in our constituency. We must do all we can do privately and also will work with Non -Governmental Organisations (NGOs) because we have great challenges in terms of insecurity, unemployment of youths, crises in the health and education sectors and other infrastructural challenges,” he said. “We will unite and work together. I appreciate my fellow contestants. They congratulated me and I feel democracy has come to stay. We have to come together and work together.
“I am an economist and what you will get from me are genuine-based issues. I will contribute toward having a sports centre. Things won’t be left for the government alone.”
The former Katsina United chairman admitted that he never knew that sports would make him popular than he imagined and that it was people’s persuasions that made him to run for the Dutsin-ma/Kurfi Federal Constituency even when he was reluctant.
He admitted that he was overwhelmed by the love shown him by people for his role with Katsina United and now with Katsina State FA and that he is going to further use his position in the lower chamber to help the youths in his constituency.
“After I left Katsina United to become the FA Chairman, I discovered that football is unique. I never dreamt I would have that kind of followers and acceptance,” he said.”It was after I left I got a series of calls appreciating me for the role I played in Katsina United and the fact that we didn’t go on relegation right from when we returned to the topflight.
“Football is a big platform to be used to assist youths. I never knew it could aid my campaign for the House of Representatives seat.
While admitting that his role in football helped his political ambition, Kurfi opined that he had to convince his constituents on what could do it in the National Assembly before they voted for him.
“Politics is the same whether in football or mainstream politics. I was able to convince my people of what I could do and it gained popular acceptance.
“But initially I never wanted to contest because I have told myself that I would never engage in fighting with anybody over the election.
“I suffered before I got the ticket because it is not a tea party to change the status quo. It has not been easy even as the FA Chairman of Katsina State. It has always been making sacrifices for the growth of the game in my domain and nationally.”
Kurfi, however, appealed for support to ensure he succeeds while promising to run an open and transparent administration that will welcome inputs and suggestions from all.
“It is a collective responsibility. I will need their inputs so as to get the ground running on certain state and national issues. There is a need for an interactive session like a town hall meeting,” he added.