The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Pillars

  • Pillars place 10 players on transfer, to sign 12

    Pillars place 10 players on transfer, to sign 12

    Kano Pillars resumed yesterday for the 2015/2016 league season with over 70 per cent of the players retained from last season witnessing the first training session conducted by head coach, Mohammed Babaganaru.

    The Media Officer of the club, Idris Malikawa told SportingLife that 10 players from those with Sai Masu Gida last season have been placed on transfer while 12 new players are expected to take their places.

    Pillars are on rebuilding process after ending last season in eighth spot with 55 points from 38 matches and unable to qualify for the continent for the first in over three seasons.

    Malikawa told SportingLife that the players were placed on transfer after their low returns last season among other factors noticed which hindered the club from achieving set objectives.

  • 2016 season: Pillars to retain 20 players

    2016 season: Pillars to retain 20 players

    The Chairman of Kano Pillars Football Club, Kabiru Baita has revealed to Sportinglife that his club is being repositioned to fight for the continential ticket next football season.

    Speaking at the backdrop of the not too impressive performance of the Kano giants this football season, he said:

    “Our target next season is to go for the double. We are targeting the League and the Federation Cup also. We are only retaining 20 players from the ones we have, and we would recruit 10 new ones. There are criteria that such players must meet before they are recruited. They must be Premier League players, and must have played in not less than 10 matches in the second stanza of the just concluded League season. I have identified seven of such players, and I am only waiting for  coach Babaganaru to return from the CAF licence course he is attending in Abuja to give me his list. I am going to be directly involved in the recruitment of the players for the new season, as I don’t want any half baked player in the team.  We are out for business this time around, and nothing short of  a double would be good for us,” he said.

  • Pillars of high society honour Mike Okonkwo

    Pillars of high society honour Mike Okonkwo

    A man is not honoured for what he receives but for what he gives. Last weekend, nobles and pillars of high society turned up to honour Bishop Mike Okonkwo of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM) as he gave out the hand of his only child, Uche Okonkwo, in marriage.

    The respected Bishop exuded pride as he gave his daughter’s hand in marriage to her dashing hearthrob, Onyekachi Asugha. The grand white wedding held last Saturday at the Cathedral of His Glory, Anthony Oke, Lagos. The service had a unique twist to it as the Bishop did not only walk his daughter down the aisle but also performed the joining of the couple. The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor E.A. Adeboye, was on hand to bless the couple.

    Penultimate weekend, Uche and her fiancé had their traditional wedding at the Grandeur Events Centre in Lagos, while their white wedding took place yesterday at the TREM Headquarters in Gbagada, Lagos.

  • Pillars slow down Sunshine

    Pillars slow down Sunshine

    Nigeria league champions Kano Pillars on Sunday further slowed down the title chase of Sunshine Stars when they won 2-1 in a Week 33 game of Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) in Kano.

    Pillars now have 49 points from 33 games, while Sunshine have 53 points.

    Tony Edjomariegwe’s 90th minute penalty which was contested by Sunshine players earned Pillars all three points.

    Omololu Waheed turned the ball into his own net in the 15th minute to give Pillars 1-0 lead.

    The Akure Gunners fought back and got the equaliser in the 58th minute through Seun Olulayo.

    Sunshine goalkeeper John Shuaibu made several saves to deny Rabiu Ali and others more goals.

  • Rabiu returns for Pillars

    Rabiu returns for Pillars

    Kano Pillars midfielder Rabiu Ali will play a major role when his side faces Sunshine Stars of Akure in the week 33 Glo Premier League at the Sani Abacha Stadium, Kano.

    Ali missed his side’s last weekend’s match against Giwa FC in Jos due to malaria. The match ended 0-0.

    The club’s media officer, Idris Malikawa said the club will bank on Ali’s experience to knock out Sunshine Stars in Kano.

    Malikawa said Ali returned to training  on Monday after he was cleared by the club’s doctors.

    “Rabiu Ali missed the Giwa FC match. He was down with malaria for the past one week. He has recovered. He has been training seriously and you can see  that he is ready to go,” Malikawa told SportingLife.

    “We have a tough game against Sunshine Stars and it is good news that Rabiu Ali will be available. We have all our players ready and we hope for good game on Sunday.”

    Malikawa also said that his side should not be ruled out of the title race yet as he believes that they can still do something with the remaining six matches.

    “We are not down yet and people should not rule us out completely. Six matches is something and I have confidence that we are not yet out. All our players are in the right frame of mind and they are all available to play,” Malikawa said.

     

  • Pillars will fight till end, says Tony Edjomariegwe

    Pillars will fight till end, says Tony Edjomariegwe

    Kano Pillars midfielder Tony Edjomariegwe has said he and his teammates won’t give up until the end of the season.

    The league champions are 9th on the table with six games to end the Glo Premier League season.

    The performance which is far below their display in the past three seasons that earned them three league titles.

    The Sai Masu Gida secured a vital away in last match against Giwa FC in Jos.

    The former Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) of Ibadan star in a chat with SportingLife said the team will continue to try hard and get more points to finish in a better position at the end of the season.

    He also revealed that the team was devastated by the home loss to Nasarawa United this season.

    “I believe there is always a chance until the end of the season. We won’t give up as mostly said by the coach. We will fight till the end. Nothing is impossible in football,” Edjomariegwe told SportingLife.

    “We got a draw in our last game in Jos which is better that nothing. We still hope to get more as we play the next away game. We will try and get points in our remaining matches,” he added.

     

  • Ibenegbu denies Pillars victory in Kano

    Bartholomew Ibenegbu’s last minute goal denied hosts Pillars victory on Sunday when they played a 1-1 draw in Kano in a Nigeria league Week 31 game.

    Pillars have 45 points from 31 games, while Wolves keep up the pressure in third place with 52 points, six points behind leaders Enyimba.

    Ubong Ekpai broke the deadlock when he scored from the penalty spot in the 44th minute after Mine Ojo brought down goal-bound Gambo Mohammed.

    Beach Eagles stars Bartholomew Ibenegbu scored on the 90th minute to earn Warri Wolves a point.

    Ibenegbu had a free kick parried by Pillars goalkeeper Yusuf Mohammed who struggled to keep it away from goal in the 86th minute.

    Wolves players protested after they believed the ball had crossed the goal line, but the referee waved play on.

  • Mohammed: Pillars still dream league title

    Mohammed: Pillars still dream league title

    • Says Sai Masu will shock Enyimba in Aba

    Kano Pillars striker, Adamu Mohammed has told SportingLife that Sai Masu Gida’s 4-1 thrashing of 3SC in Kano was the club’s best way of telling Enyimba that it won’t be business as usual when they clash on Wednesday in a Glo Premier League Week 24 tie in Aba.

    Pillars are yet to pick a point in their trip to Aba for many seasons and the club lost 3-0 and 3-1 in the last two seasons at the Enyimba International Stadium but still emerged as league champions on both occasions.

    Mohammed, who opened the floodgates of goals against 3SC on Sunday in their 4-1 rout, told SportingLife that the coming of new head coach, Mohammed Babaganaru has brought new order in the team and that their confidence is high ahead of the Wednesday clash.

    The former Enugu Rangers and Gombe United forward has scored six goals in the league for Pillars and he has promised to net again on Wednesday if he is fielded by the team and the opportunity presents itself for him to hit the bulls eye.

    “I have heard a lot about the inability of Pillars to win or pick a point in Aba for quite some time now but I believe that things can change very fast and records are meant to be broken. Heartland have always been a tough customer to Pillars, especially in Kano but they fell this season already.

    “I’m convinced that we won’t return back to Kano empty handed this term. The arrival of Babaganaru has inspired us all and we are doing our best to ensure that we still win the league title again this season because it is not beyond us. If we are unable to retain the league title we won’t let the continental ticket to elude us at the end of the season,” Mohammed, who is the second highest scorer in Pillars with six goals behind Rabiu Ali’s seven strikes, told SportingLife.

    Pillars are fifth on the log with 37 points from 23 matches and they have gone unbeaten in their last six games since they were pinned 1-0 by Akwa United in a Glo Premier League Week 17 tie in Uyo.

  • Pillars will stop ‘strong’ 3SC, predicts Ubong Ekpai

    Pillars will stop ‘strong’ 3SC, predicts Ubong Ekpai

    Kano Pillars forward Ubong Ekpai has told AfricanFootball.com that the champions will maintain their home invincibility when they welcome Shooting Stars on Sunday in a Nigeria league Week 23 game.

    Pillars are unbeaten after three matches under new coach Mohammed Babaganaru and are now seven points adrift of league leaders Enyimba.

    Ekpai said Pillars are aware of the opponents’ current form, but still hope to win on Sunday.

    “It is going to be a tough game against Shooting Stars no doubt, they have been in good form, the fact that they beat Heartland 3-1 away is a massive boost to their morale but we are on the high here too,” said the former Akwa United star.

    “We are ready for them and I am sure we will come out with the three points at stake in the game.”

  • Pillars will be champions again

    Pillars will be champions again

    Kano Pillars have expressed confidence they will make up lost ground in the league and go on to win this season’s championship.

    Pillars, champions for the past three seasons, are now five points adrift of league leaders Enyimba after 21 rounds of matches.

    “We [players] have tasked ourselves to forget all the setbacks we encounter in the first round of the league and to win even not all but most of the remaining matches in this second round so as to keep our crown,” said Pillars acting captain Rabiu Ali.

    Rabiu aka Pele snatched the match winner for Pillars against Heartland at the Sani Abacha Stadium in Kano from the penalty spot in the 81st minute after Adamu Muhammad was fouled inside the box.

    Heartland had stunned their hosts in the 22nd minute, when striker Babangida Hassan  beat the Pillars defence to score.

    However,  Azeez Shobowale restored  the confidence of the home side in the 41st minute when he scored the equaliser after he controlled a long pass from Rabiu Ali.

    Pillars media officer Rilwanu Idris Malikawa disclosed the team will depart Kano Friday for Oghara, where they will face Bayelsa United on Sunday.