Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq on Thursday said the administration will not relent in its efforts to make the sports facilities at the state Stadium an international standard.
The Governor spoke in Ilorin, the state capital, when he received a delegation of the Super Eagles National Supporters Club led by its President Prince Vincent Okumagba on a courtesy visit to Government House.
AbdulRazaq said his government is giving priority to fixing the Ilorin and Offa stadia to make them suitable for hosting national football matches.
“We are doing our best to make sure that we improve sport facilities in the state. We are going to change the main bowl of the stadium in Ilorin here and also improve that of Offa to make them fit for the national league football games,” he said.
“We will continue to give maximum support to Kwara United FC and hopefully look forward to when we can host Super Eagles someday.”
He expressed delight at the kind of support the Club offers the National team during every sporting engagement, saying that this helps the players much in playing well and achieving success in most of their football encounters.
“I am delighted to receive this strong delegation from the Super Eagles National Supporters’ Club. We thank you for the support you have been giving to the Super Eagles over the years, and making sure when they play ‘away’ matches they feel at home because you are always there to urge them on with your voice. That support is invaluable,” he said.
“Any time they play you make sure that we hear your voice of support, because if they get no support from you it is a bit demoralising for them. We normally hear your voices and see you on television when the camera turns on you. I urge you to keep up the good work.
“It is good that you are set to inaugurate the Kwara State chapter of the club. It is a part of the process to bring football alive in the state”.
He directed the soon-to-be inaugurated state branch of the Supporters’ Club to forward their requests through the State Sports Commission, assuring them of the government’s consideration.
“As for the requests from the state chapter of the supporters club, kindly forward them to the Chairman of the Kwara state Sports Commission. We will do as much as we can in supporting them”.
Prince Okumagba, for his part, said they were in Kwara to inaugurate the state branch of the Super Eagles Supporters’ Club, saying their decision was informed by the size of support and enablement the Governor accords the sport industry.
“Having done our due diligence, and all that we have heard about Kwara State and the Executive Governor, how peaceful the state is; and the enabled environment that has been created for sports and businesses to thrive, we felt this is the best time for us to have a branch of Super Eagles Supporters’ Club here in Kwara state,” he said.
“We have travelled far and wide. We’ve travelled with the disabled in all the matches they played locally and internationally, and we also noticed that you are always with them. You know the Eagles in and out. We also know you as a sport-loving governor.
“We have been trying our best, spending our money, but we still have people like you who have been supporting the group. For so many years we have had supporters club. So many governors have come and gone. This has never happened in the history of Kwara State.”
