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.

Akande Idowu Ayoola Muhammed     Bolaji Abdullahi     Amusa Bello     Shero     Ben Duntoye     Muideen Olaniyi Alalade     Tunde Mukaila Mustapha     Adaramaja     Dogara     Agboola Babatunde     David Oyedepo     Olukotun Of Ikotun     KW-GIS     Yusuf Ibitokun Sherifat     KWSIEC     Baruba     Wahab Issa     Erin-ile     Bilikisu Gambari     Oya State     Peculiar Allowance     Sunday Fagbemi     Monsurat Omotosho     UNIFEMGA     Kwara NIPR     Taofik Abdulkareem     Just Event Online     Ilorin Talaka Parapo (ITP)     TESCOM 2025     Oyawoye     Saliu Shola Taofeek     Sidikat Akaje     NSCIA     Abdulahi Abubakar Bata     Abdulmutalib Shittu     Simeon Sule Ajibola     Abdulganiyu AbdulAzeez     Pilgrims Board     Elese Of Igbaja     Kwasu     David Oyepinola Adedumoye     Oye Tinuoye     Ndama Al-hassan     Otunba Taiwo Joseph     Kwara Hotel     Bolakale Saka     Dele Belgore     Olofa Of Offa     Yinka Aluko     Segun Adeniyi     Ibraheem Abdullateef     REO CAKES     Kale Belgore     EndSARS     Doyin Group     Muhammad Toyin Sanusi     Mohammed Abdulahi     Olupako Of Share     Centre For Digital Economy     NITDA     Ahmed     AbdulKareem Yusuf Danhawa     Pakata Development Association     Tafida Of Ilorin     Nurudeen Muhammed     Towobola Abdulrahman Toyin     Aso-ofi     Jamila Bio Ibrahim     Abdulrauf Aliyu     Mashood Dauda     Ilorin East     C2c@kwarastate.gov.ng     Eghe Igbinehi     Abdullahi AbdulMajeed     Waziri Yakubu Gobir     Kola Ologbondiyan     Atiku    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

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

Shururat Olatinwo     Oko-Olowo     Bamidele Aluko     Madawaki     Mustapha AbdulGaniyu     Tafida     Gbemi Saraki     Basit Olatunji     Adedeji Onimago     Oluranti Idowu     Musa Alhassan Buge     Baba Issa     Ayodele Shittu     Yunus Oniboki     Hamidat Sulyman-Yusuf     Ibikunle Ogunleye     Sheikh Hamzat Yusuf Ariyibi     Towobola Abdulrahman Toyin     Gwanara     Kumbi Titiloye     NAWOJ     Okasanmi Ajayi     Susan Modupe Oluwole     Transition Implementation Committee     Christopher Tunji Ayeni     Wole Oke     Taofik Abdulkareem     Mohammed Lawal     Alagbado     Kumbi Titilope     Ibrahim Gambari     Otuka     Abdulquawiy Olododo     Muhammed Danjuma     Akanbi-Oke     Alikinla     Halimah Perogi     Sheikh Ariyibi     Shaykh Luqman Jimoh     Sanitation Exercise     Saadu Alanamu     Gurei     Ibrahim Mohammed     Saliu Ajia     Simon Sayomi     Taofeek Ibraheem     2023 Elections     Abdul-Rahoof Bello     Mohammed Saidu     Emir Of Shonga     Moji Makanjuola     Valsolar-Kwara Company Limited     Ahmed Bayero     Gobirawa     Lanre Issa-Onilu     Ahmad Lawan     Aliyu Salihu     Presidential Election     SWAN     Offa Poly     Dasuki Belgore     Tope Daramola     Alanamu     Ladi Hassan     Centre For Community Empowerment And Poverty Eradication     Muhammed Mahe Abdulkadir     Kwara NIPR     Ahman Pategi     Gbajabiamila     Oniwasi Agbaye     Saadu Gbogbo Iwe     KFA     Ahmed Bolaji Nagode     Ogidi-Oloje     BIR     Quareeb Islamic Association     Garba Ado Sanni