By Zahraddeen Saleh
*Kano -* The Chairman of the Kano State Hockey Association and Board Member of the Nigeria Hockey Federation (NHF) representing the North-West Zone, Mr. Ibrahim Sani, has commended the management of Bayero University, Kano (BUK), for including hockey among the sports featured at the recently concluded Inter-Faculty Games.
Mr. Sani gave the commendation while serving as a Special Guest at the event, which was attended by Heads of Departments, coaches from across Kano State, the Head Coach of BUK Hockey and his assistant, as well as other dignitaries and sports stakeholders.
In his remarks, Mr. Sani appreciated the university management for recognising the importance of hockey and for providing students with the opportunity to participate in the sport. He noted that the inclusion of hockey in the Inter-Faculty Games is a significant step towards promoting the game, discovering young talents and strengthening grassroots hockey development in Kano State.
He further emphasised that universities have a vital role to play in sports development by providing platforms for young people to showcase their abilities, instil discipline, promote teamwork and pursue sporting excellence.
Mr. Sani congratulated the Faculty of Education for emerging champions and the Faculty of Engineering for finishing as runners-up, praising both teams for their impressive performance and high level of sportsmanship.
He encouraged all participating players to remain committed to training, discipline and fair play, and to be worthy ambassadors of hockey wherever they find themselves. He urged them to uphold the values of respect, unity, teamwork and dedication, both on and off the field.
The Chairman reaffirmed the commitment of the Kano State Hockey Association to collaborate with educational institutions, sports administrators, coaches and other stakeholders to promote hockey and create more opportunities for young people to participate in the sport.
He expressed optimism that the continued inclusion of hockey in future university sports competitions will help expand the popularity of the game, identify promising players and contribute to the development of hockey in Kano State and Nigeria at large.
The Kano State Hockey Association therefore calls on other tertiary institutions to emulate Bayero University, Kano, by incorporating hockey into their sporting programmes as part of efforts to promote youth engagement and sustainable sports development.
