Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq of Kwara State has pledged continued support for sports development and other youth oriented initiatives in the state.
Governor Abdulrazaq gave this indication at Animisa Snooker Club League “Ilorin Edition 2026” supported by Kwara State Sports Commission held in Ilorin.
Represented by Executive Chairman, Kwara State Sports Commission, Coach Bolakale Adisa Mogaji, the Governor observed that snooker is not a new game but not as popular as other games and dispelled the insinuation that snooker is a game of the elites.
He described snooker as a game meant for all categories members of the society and identified the Programme as a good initiative.
The Governor assured the youths of government’s readiness to support their dreams to forestall them from indulging in social vices.
Governor Abdulrazaq charged the organizers to eschew gambling while playing the snooker game as the Kwara would not condone acts capable of igniting crisis.
In his remarks, Balogun Alanamu of Ilorin, Alhaji Abubakar Jos corroborated the Governor in advising the organizers of the game to disregard betting before, during and after the snooker league season in the state.
The Balogun Alanamu of Ilorin applauded Governor Abdulrazaq for his moral and financial contributions to the initiative and described him as a youth friendly Governor.
In his welcome address, Founder and League Commissioner, Aminullahi Abolaji Issa said the event was geared to declare the inaugural snooker season open envisioned as pioneering sports development initiative in the state.
Issa pointed out that the programme was put together under Public Private Partnership in collaboration Kwara State aimed at discovering talented snooker players at the grassroots.
Also, League Coordinator, Muhammad Jos Oladapo maintained that the initiative is about community development with special focus on snooker to insulate the youth against moral decadence.
Jos Oladapo explained the Programme is also to engage the youth in sports as the organizers have propagated the initiative through the Local Governments Chairmen to endear the youth for greater acceptability.
In his submission, Director, National Orientation Agency NOA in Kwara State, Alhaji Yakub Ibrahim Abubakar posited that the initiative would go a long way growing snooker game and advocated its sustenance.
Alhaji Abubakar emphasized the need to frontally address divergent issues affecting the youth to enable them become responsible citizens of Nation.
Mallam Asinmi Hadi Asileke described the initiative as first of its kind and commended the organizers for conceiving the laudable Programme.
Mallam Asileke identified Governor Abdulrazaq as sports loving and urged him not to relent in providing necessary assistance to the organizers to achieve desired results.
