Kwara United FC of Ilorin went through a turbulent 2013/2014 season of the Nigeria National Group A where 16 teams slugged it out for honours and at the end of the day, they were able to stand out as one of the best.

The management of he Ilorin side relegated at the end of the 2012/2013 season from the Nigeria professional football league were at the beginning of this season given the mandate to return the team back to the Premier League. At the end of the season, the management under the leadership of Alhaji Mohammed Haruna Maigidansama, the first General Manager to be appointed in the history of the club was able to achieve the ultimate.

It was against this background that The Herald On Sunday Sports spoke with the General Manager on the journey so far.

Excerpts:

Kwara United is now back in the Nigeria professional football league, you as the General Manager at the helm of affairs in the campaign for promotion, how was the journey so far?

Thank you very much with gratitude to Almighty Allah, I will like to say the journey so far was not easy but all in all, we still have to glorify the holy name of Allah. When you look at when everything started, I came in to meet the tools on grand it wasn't as if I recruited the team and that made it somehow in the beginning but as a technocrat I was able to blend the team, the management and the technical crew within the shortest possible time. Since then we have been taking things beat by beat till the last day when God gave us the desired glory we sought and we thank him for that.

You said you met the structure in ground when you came on board, did they perform to your expectations?

When I said I met the tools on ground what I meant was that there was a structure on ground which I key into. That is not to say that we did not start together. All along during the pre-season training we were together before the league kicked off. They have lived up to expectation particularly the players, they have shown commitment which eventually gave us the glory.

The journey so far, how did you feel about this achievement?

Well, am indeed delighted, I look at it as a government assignment. In those days when I were with Youth Sports Federation of Nigeria (YSFON) without money, everything were through selfless service, But now it is different. The government has provided money and said go and deliver so what execute would I have not to perform, that was why I held the bull by the horn, run from end to end leaving no stone unturned. Of all the 16 away matches there was none I did not go, I ensure that I was present myself to witness everything so that whatever plus or minus, I will be there to know not somebody to report to me. I was equally available at all the home matches except the last game which I have to go out the states on strategic mission I was always around on match days and did not toy with anything that could strategically deprive us of the maximum points. I think one have been able to put things the way it should be being a democrat. So far we have done our best and we thank God that at the end of it all, we came out victorious.

The journey so far has been rough everybody knows that, but along the line did you enjoy the support of your management and other stakeholders in the state?

Of course, the stakeholders were my first focus when I came on board, I met with them the past chairman of the club, past and present FA chairman in the state, we all robbed minds together on the way forward and to solicit their support, I cannot forget them. My co-management staff and the entire staff gave their maximum support, one cannot do it alone even outside the state, there are some people one have consulted on some issues. As far as the state is concern all the stakeholders were actively involved to ensure that Kwara United is back to the premier league. And also my colleague the General Manager of ABS, Alloy Chukwumeka gave me a very formidable support to get to premiership.

Have you written to the government to inform them of the progress made so for?

You know it is a policy of the club that at the end of the season we have to regroup. We have written to his Excellency congratulating him on the achievement. We have also written to the ministry of Sports informing them of the current situation and we are awaiting their responses.

If given the chance to continue, will you take it?

Why not? This is my state and I am an errand boy, if my services are needed why not, I will go and showcase what I can do.

I never expected my call to serve when it came. As a career civil servant I was thinking that maybe after retirement I will see how sports activities can be moved forward in the state but when the clarion call to serve came I embraced it and each time I move, I look at it as if my government is following me and that made me to feel charged. I did everything I felt necessary to be done so that there would not be no excuse. If there are things that did not come my way positively, I ignore it and forge ahead. So defiantly if they ask me to continue, I don't have any excuse, I will just consolidate. I have gone to the battle field and I conquered so coming back to drawing board is just do the plus and minus to consolidated on the result on ground.

What is your message to the support and fans across the state?

My message is simple, first to thank everybody the supporters the fans, the stakeholders and the people of Kwara State. I have to thank everybody particularly the Kwara State government of which without their support we cannot get this far. The support I enjoyed from the government through the ministry of Sports cannot be over emphasized.

Without them and grace of Allah, we can't get this far, God will reward them abundantly. I will also appeal to everybody to call their wards to order so that we should not witness what we went through again and be at the top where we belong. We should be law abiding and eschew violence. On this note, we dedicate our victory to his Excellency, the Executive Governor of Kwara State as toast to his birthday come December29.

Your present squad on ground how do you go about them?

Even if we still remain in the National League, there must be some changes. It will all depend on the recommendation of the technical committee.