THE EXCEPTIONAL AND GIANT STRIDES OF KOGI STATE HANDBALL ASSOCIATION CHAIRMAN-Mr Jibril Ojih Saidu (FNIQS)

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GODWIN WAMBEBE

One Sport that Kogi State is known for and has won laurels for the State is Handball. No doubt, the game of handball has placed the 33 years old State on the World map as it has remained one of the few Sports that has brought fame, honour and accolade to the Confluence State.

In the early years after it’s creation, aside football, the game of handball has remained one game that Kogi State is known and recognized with as it has produced a handful of world class Stars who have gone ahead to represent and do Nigeria proud.

Every nook and cranny of Kogi State used to produce top handballers in the past especially the mid 90s into the Millennium with Idah local government area always taking the lead. That was a time when genuine and passionate administrators govern the State sport sector.

Things later took a downward turn when the passion, desire , determination and love for the game started dying and the game was relegated to the background.

The coming of Mr Jibril Ojih Saidu into the saddle as the Chairman of Kogi State Handball Association changed the narrative as the State witnessed the rescucitation of the game of handball in Kogi State and the return of the lost glory of the game.

In the few years he has held sway as the Chairman of Kogi State Handball Association, there’s no doubt that he has turned around the fortune of the game and has also made giant strides in the game thereby making Handball one of the most loved Sports after Football as the State kept on attending and honoring championships after championship despite little or no support from relevant quarters.

Appreciable percentage of achievements has so far been recorded in this game during the administration of Mr Jibril Ojih Saidu. These achievements were made possible because of his philanthropic gesture, Love and passion for the game and the strong desire to see Kogi State handballers progress and succeed in their chosen profession.

Those who knows Mr Jibril Ojih Saidu will agree that he is highly skilled and endowed with strategic brilliance, intelligence, Leadership and Managerial understanding of the game of handball which is why he has remained absolutely relevant not just here in Kogi State but at the National level and the Continent of Africa. All these have earned him accolades for his remarkable achievements both at home and at the national level.

After his appointment as the Chairman of Kogi State Handball Association, the state Handball teams have participated in the following tournament:

1. National U18 Handball championship in Lagos 2017.(Both male & female). The male team were crowned champions

2. National Division one Handball league 2018(Confluence Stars and Queens)

3. National Division one Handball league 2019(Confluence Stars and Queens)

4. Prudent Energy Handball Premier League 2019(Confluence Stars and Queens)

5. Prudent Energy Handball Premier League 2020(Confluence Stars)

6. Prudent Energy Handball Premier League 2021(Confluence Stars)

7. North Central Handball League 2021(Confluence Stars and Queens)

8. Prudent Energy Handball Premier League 2022(Confluence Stars)

9. North Central Handball League 2022(Confluence Stars and Queens)

10. Prudent Energy Handball Premier League 2023(Confluence Stars)

11. Division one Handball league 2023 ( Confluence Kings)

12. Division one Handball league ( Confluence Kings)

In the above tournaments which Kogi State Handball teams have participated in, they have won:

1. The National U18 in 2017

2. Won and qualify to the Handball Premier League at the National Division one in 2019( both teams)

3. Placed 3rd at the North Central Handball League 2021 & 2022 respectively

His achievements didn’t stop with the State teams participating in Nation tournaments but also, under his leadership the Kogi State Handball Association has organize Kogi State inter Local Government handball competitions for U18 and U21 (male and female) in 2019 to begin the process of returning the lost glory of the game that brought fame and honours to the Confluence State in the past.

Apart from being the Chairman of Kogi State Handball Association, Mr Jibril Ojih Saidu (FNIQS) is also the Board Member representing North Central at the Handball Federation of Nigeria (HFN) and also the Secretary General of the Commonwealth Handball Association (CHA)

No doubt, Mr Jibril Ojih Saidu stands out as one of Nigeria and Africa’s finest Sport administrators due to his philanthropic nature, dedication, Leadership qualities, passion, resilience, doggedness and vision to develop the game of handball at every level.