My First Million Naira Came From Kwara United, Zamalek Gate Takings – Ex COED Provost

Date: 2023-08-25

Former provost, Kwara College of Education, KCOE, Ilorin, and seasoned soccer buff and administrator, Alhaji Jimoh Ayinla, PhD, has sensationally revealed that his first million ever made was from gate takings of a continental match between home team Kwara United and Zamalek Football Club of Egypt at the Kwara State Stadium.

The educationist and former grade one referee made the disclosure on Wednesday as part of remark made during small party in celebration of his 63rd Birthday at his home in Ilorin.Gracing the occasion were his beloved wife, Bola Omowumi, Prof Shuaib Oniyangi, who delivered a lecture on sports as unifying factor, Engnr. Kazeem Jato, who facilitate the program in honour of the retired provost and host many other close family friends.

Ayinla believes strongly that soccer can adequately run itself like a business.

Ironically, another sports administrator in Ilorin, Ibrahim Bako, Director of Sports at the state's Sports Commission recently disclosed that soccer scouts/agents are making a killing from products from the state owned soccer academy at expense of the state government.

But Dr Ayinla's revelations would show that poor maximisation of football into money making venture rather than money losing shambles as currently obtains didn't begin recently.

“I counted my first one million naira from gate takings I made from Kwara United versus Zamalek of Egypt club Continental match, here in Ilorin,” explained the former college provost.

According to him, gate taking franchise for the club was given to him as part of measures to raise money for the local football club after many philanthropic gestures to the club.

“It all began from when the club was Kwara Bombers and each time they want to play match, they come to me for assistance.

“When I enquired from them what they do with their gate takings, I was shocked to learn that they make as small as N35, 000 to N40,000 per match.

“This was unacceptable for me. At the time, I was teaching at Command Secondary School Sobi.

“I asked and was given franchise to run the gate takings for the club. So with help of the army and police on horseback, I created a water tight ticketing system.

“In the first match I made N120, 000. In the second, I made about N200, 000 and remitted more money for the club,” Dr Ayinla said.

Speaking on Kwara, Zamalek match, the former provost said that the club needed funding while then late Governor Lawal was away from the state.

“I provided money for the club to prosecute the game and I was given the gate taking venture to manage.

“It was in that match that I made my first million naira ever,” he said.

But speaking on why it has been so difficult to make soccer a money spinning business, the soccer loving educationist said politics is to blame.

Going back memory lane again, the educationist stated that he was denied chance to run Kwara United despite his demonstrable ability to turn the club into a viable venture.

“During the second tenure of Bukola Saraki, I showed keen interest in taking over and running Kwara United.

“But as it turned out, everything was politicized. The position was given to Henry George. That was the time he was appointed chairman of Kwara United.

” As I learnt, I wasn't given the appointment because I was too close to Late Governor Mohammed Lawal. Even at that, I didn't distance myself from the government of the day.

” But then, at a stage, the then SA Sports to Governor Saraki, Zakari Mohammad, called me to ask if I would be considered for the vice chairman of of the club.

” I said no. I said I won't take a vice chairman under someone I consider that has never been into sports.

“One of the proposals I sent to the governor at the time was that it sports should be self sustaining. I recommended that private sector should partner with government to run sports,” he recalled.

Source

 

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Ahmed     The Herald     CT Ayeni     Kazeem Adekanye     Abubakar Suleiman     Adamu Atta     Alabi Lawal     Christian Association Of Nigeria     Ile Arugbo     Ibrahim Jawondo     UITH     Boko Haram     Onikijipa     Ilota     Senate Presidency     Oluronke Adeyemi     Offorjama     Raheem Adaramaja     Oba Abdulkadir La\'aro     Kola Bukoye     Kwarareports.com     Abatemi-Usman     Afetu Of Alabe     Apado     Ademola Kiyesola     Ridhwanullah Al-Ilory     Alabere     Tayo Awodiji     Tafida Of Ilorin     Aliyu Kora Sabi     Hakeem Lawal     Lai Gobir     Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa     Gamji Members Association     Mutawalle     Niyi Ogundiran     Muhammadu Gobir     Mustapha AbdulGaniyu     Bayo Mohammed Onimode     MalHub     Mohammed Kamaludeen     Bolaji Aladie     Muhammad Akande Olarewaju Odunade     Kayode Laro     Gbenga Awoyale     Olaiya Victor Mobolaji     LABTOP     Mahmud Babatunde Baker     Olatunji Ibrahim     Ayodele Olaosebikan     Seed Technologies     Shehu Jimoh     Kwara State Fire Service     Saka Aleshinloye     Baboko Primary School     Muideen Olaniyi Alalade     Ramat Oganija     Kwara Basketball Association     Kayode Oyin Zubair     Bolakale Ayo     Mumini Ishola Hanafi     Wasiu Odewale     Abdullahi Saadudeen Alikinla     Savannah Centre For Diplomacy, Democracy And Development     Tanke Road     Muhammadu Buhari     LAK Jimoh     Arinola Fatimoh Lawal     Esuwoye     Lanre Badmus     Ibrahim Abdulkadir Abikan     Alore     Fatai Adeniyi Garba     Ilorin Amusement Park     Razaq Atunwa     Moshood Mustapha     Suleiman Mora Omar    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Sunday Fagbemi     Kwara North     Saba Mamman Daniel     Folashade Omoniyi     Abdullahi Samari     Aminat Ahmed     Saliu Tunde Bello     Salihu Yahaya     Baruten     Muhammed Taofeeq Abdulrazaq     Wahab Olasupo Egbewole     Popo-Igbonna     Busari Alabi Alausa     Fatai Garuba Labaka     KWASIEC     Oba Mogaji Abdulkadir     Kwara State Coalition Of Business And Professional Associations     Ola Falade     Yakubu Shaaba     Borgu     Muhammad Akande Olarewaju Odunade     Naira Redesign     Ibrahim Gambari     Hakeem Idris     Tunji Arosanyin     Funmi Salau     Owo Arugbo     Woro     NYSC     NSCIA     AbdulGaniyu Kareem     Assayomo     Kwara State Infrastructure Development Fund     Abdulrasaq Alaro     Moronfoye     Amusement Park     Temi Kolawole     Tunji Moronfoye     AGILE Programme     Bolaji Gambari     Sa\'adatu Modibbo-Kawu     Mahmud Ajeigbe     Danhawa     Elections     Bello Abubakar     Abdulrazaq Magaji     Ibrahim Abdulkadir Abikan     Zubair Folorunsho Erubu     Sanusi Abubakar     Sheu Ndanusa Usman     Mike Omotosho     Kayode Zubair     Gobir     Lawal Arinola Kudirat     Idris Amosa Oladipo Saidu     David Oyerinola Adedunmoye     Nigeria Customs Service     IPSAS     Kamaldeen Ajibade     Abdulfatah Ahmed     Maigida Soludero Transit     Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa     ASUU     Oluwatoyin Lukman     Ibrahim Oloriegbe     AbdulRazaq AbduMajeed Alaro     Anilelerin     Zulu Gambari     Ohoro Of Shao     Ishak Mohammed Sabi     Balogun Fulani     Folorunsho Alao     Sulyman Abdulkareem     Abubakar B.M     Saheed Popoola     Bayo Ojo     Clara Nwachukwu