NSC mourns Abba Yola, hails his legacy in sports administration

The National Sports Commission (NSC) has described the passing of former Kano Pillars Chairman, Alhaji Abba Yola, as a painful loss to Nigeria’s sports community.

The Kano-born sports administrator was a retired Assistant Director in the Sports Ministry and also served as Chief of Staff to former Sports Minister, Hon. Sunday Dare, among other high-profile positions he held in the country’s sports sector.

Chairman of the NSC, Mallam Shehu Dikko, described Alhaji Abba Yola as a personal friend and an exceptional sports administrator who contributed immensely to the development of sports in Nigeria.

“He will truly be missed. His vast and rich experience in sports administration is well documented. We worked closely when he was Chairman of Kano Pillars. He left a remarkable legacy in Nigerian sports,” Dikko said.

Dikko also highlighted Yola’s pivotal role as a member of the Presidential Task Force that ensured Nigeria’s qualification for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.

Director General of the NSC, Honourable Bukola Olopade, described Yola as one of the brightest minds the country has produced in sports administration, noting that he rose through the ranks of the Commission.

“His invaluable contributions paved the way for many of the successes the Commission is recording today,” Olopade stated.

He also recalled Yola’s time as Chief of Staff to former Minister Sunday Dare, during which the Adopt-An-Athlete initiative was introduced—an initiative that later birthed the Elite Athletes and Podium Performance Program currently supporting top Nigerian athletes.