…Plans Floating New Football Club
A novelty football match hosted to commemorate the 64th birthday anniversary of Governor Abdullahi Sule between Maikaya Professional Team versus Nasarawa United FC ended in a goalless stalemate.
The game was played at the popular Toto Central Football Field, Toto Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, on Tuesday, 26th December, 2023, amidst large spectators and dignitaries.
According to the organizer of the match and Chief Executive Officer of Maikaya Development Foundation, Mohammed Musa Maikaya(Ciroman Toto), the decision to host the high-profile novelty match was to celebrate the Governor’s attainment of additional year on earth and in line with his Organisation’s mentorship, youth development and value addition initiative.
“Specifically, this match is to honour our father, mentor, leader and role model, the Chief Executive Officer of Nasarawa State, His Excellency, Engr. Abdullahi A. Sule, who is a year older today.
“There’s no better way we can honour the Governor than to put a team together called the Maikaya Professional Team to play against the highest ranked men’s football league Club in the State, Nasarawa United.
“It is also an opportunity for these grassroots players to showcase their talent because I believe the Coaching Crew of United must have identified a few talents here that can be useful to augment the team, help them, in terms of capacity to ensure we are on top of the league table, nationally.”
The former Governorship aspirant disclosed that it was the first time in the history of Toto Local Government Area for a team in the status of Nasarawa United FC to participate in a high-level friendly encounter, describing it as quite inspirational.
“We have been receiving many phone calls from those who participated in the novelty football match, expressing their joy and how it has inspired them to continue to do what they have been doing in terms of interest in football and the rest.”
Maikaya also emphasized that his non-profit Organisation prioritizes young people with great potentials, hence the penchant in organizing grassroots football competitions across various Local Government Areas in the State, particularly in his native Toto Local Government Area, Keffi and Doma Local Government Areas respectively.
He noted that the grand finale of the 4th Maikaya Development Foundation’s grassroots football tournament holds on New Year’s Day and would use the event to draw scouts from notable club sides to take their career to another level, professionally.
“My aim is to establish a football club some day, and the journey to actualizing that goal is already on.”
He thanked Governor Abdullahi Sule for ensuring the return of permanent peace to Toto land after many years of security challenges.
In a related development, Nasarawa United pipped Shafan Abakpa 1-0 in another friendly tie to mark the annual Irelwha Hunting Festival at Shafan Abakpa, Toto Local Government Area.
Bilyaminu Abdullahi scored the lone goal for the Coach Adams Usman-tutored Solid Miners in the second-half at the Toto Central Football Field, on Christmas Day in the presence of traditional chiefs, illustrious sons and daughters of Igbira descended from Sofiyo, including Chairman of Nasarawa United FC, Dr. Othman Ahmed Ibrahim, Hon. Garba Mohammed Tsimbabi(Member, Nasarawa State House of Assembly, and a retired Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, Justice Suleiman Galadima, among others.
