Former Super Eagles star and Atlanta 1996 Olympic gold medallist, Daniel Amokachi, has praised Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani for fulfilling a 30-year-old promise made to members of Nigeria’s victorious football team.
Amokachi said Sani’s decision to allocate plots of land to him, Garba Lawal and Emmanuel Babayaro, alongside plans to immortalise some members of the historic squad by naming streets after them, had renewed the players’ confidence in government.
He spoke on Tuesday while inspecting the ongoing reconstruction of the Ahmadu Bello Stadium in Kaduna with other football veterans.
According to Amokachi, several promises made by the Federal and state governments following Nigeria’s historic Olympic triumph had remained unfulfilled for three decades.
He said Sani had distinguished himself by redeeming his own commitment to the former players.
“When we won the Olympics gold medal in 1996, the Federal Government and state governments made several promises to us, but 30 years down the line, most of those promises were never fulfilled.
“But Governor Uba Sani has fulfilled his own promise. He has given myself, Garba Lawal and Emmanuel Babayaro plots of land. He has also directed that streets should be named after some of those who have not been immortalised,” Amokachi said.
The former striker also commended the governor for supporting the welfare of retired footballers and coaches while they are still alive.
Lawal, another member of the Atlanta ’96 gold-winning squad and former General Manager of Kaduna United, described the reconstruction of the Ahmadu Bello Stadium as a major boost to football in the state.
He said the completed facility would meet international standards and provide the Super Eagles with another suitable training and match venue.
“Now, the Super Eagles will not have to go to Uyo to train. This one is right here at my doorstep. It’s a wonderful project and, by the grace of God, we shall come and unveil it by November,” Lawal said.
Babayaro, who was part of the Olympic-winning team, said Sani had succeeded in reuniting Kaduna’s football community and reviving interest in the sport.
“Governor Uba Sani has assembled the entire football family of Kaduna State and football is thriving again like we used to know it,” the former goalkeeper said.
Responding, Sani acknowledged the contributions of former players, coaches and administrators to the development of football in Kaduna.
The governor described Kaduna as one of Nigeria’s leading football-producing states, noting that players from the state had achieved international recognition.
“Kaduna is the leading footballing state in Nigeria. We have produced more stars that have gone out of the country and made their marks globally,” he said.
Sani said his administration was committed to restoring the state’s prominence in sports through sustained investment in sporting infrastructure.
He explained that the poor condition of the Ahmadu Bello Stadium prompted him to seek President Bola Tinubu’s approval to take over and reconstruct the facility.
According to him, the old stadium, built in 1964, had a seating capacity of about 16,000, while the reconstructed facility would accommodate 33,000 spectators.
He said the new stadium would also feature a hybrid playing surface combining natural grass and synthetic turf.
“When completed, Ahmadu Bello Stadium will be the only stadium in Nigeria with a FIFA-standard pitch,” Sani said.
The governor stressed the need for Nigeria to develop more stadiums capable of hosting CAF and FIFA competitions, arguing that sports infrastructure could also generate significant economic benefits through tourism, hospitality and transportation.
He cited the economic gains recorded by countries that had hosted major international football competitions, saying Kaduna was positioning itself to attract similar opportunities through its investment in sports infrastructure.
