The National Sports Commission (NSC) has described the demise of former Kano Pillars Chairman Alhaji Abba Yola as a painful loss to the country’s sports family.
The Kano born Sports administrator was a retired assistant director in the Sports Ministry and also a former chief of staff to former Sports Minister Sunday Dare, amongst other high profile positions he held in the country’s sports corridor.
Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Shehu Dikko described Abba Yola as a personal friend whose loss is shocking and painful.
Dikko said, “Alhaji Abba Yola was a sports administrator per excellence and he contributed immensely to the growth of Nigerian sports when he was at the Sports Commission, then the Ministry of Sports.
“He will truly be missed because he was a personal friend and his vast and rich experience in the administration of Sports is well documented. We interfaced very well when he was the Chairman of Kano Pillars but we take solace in the fact that he left a very good mark in the growth of Nigerian Sports”
“He also had a huge role to play when Nigeria qualified for the 2010 FIFA World cup in South Africa as a member of the Presidential Task Force, PTF.”
President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Ibrahim Musa Gusau in a somber mood said: “I have known Alhaji Abba Yola for many years now, and I can attest to the fact that he was a kind, humble and knowledgeable man. He showed immense respect to everyone he met, even if those people were younger and less-knowledgeable. His death comes as a shock, but we take solace in the incontrovertible fact that he was a good and great man, and left a worthy legacy of excellent service.
“Our prayer is that the Almighty Allah will welcome him to aljanna, and also grant those he has left behind the fortitude to bear the great loss.”
The Director General of the NSC, Bukola Olopade, said Yola was one of the true brains this country had produced in sports administration and execution over the years who came through the ranks in the commission.
“His invaluable contributions to Nigerian sports are some of the things that paved the way to the successes the Commission is currently recording.
“I remember very well he was the Chief of Staff to former sports minister, Sunday Dare who instituted and started the Adopt-The-Athletes initiative which has now birthed the Elite Athletes and Podium Board of the commission where our top athletes are now receiving training grants in different categories.
“Alhaji Abba Yola will be greatly missed and our hearts are with his family and the people of Kano state for this great loss.”
Extrasportnigeria 
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