Nigerian Sports Mourns: Tributes pour in for late Technocrat Alhaji Abba Yola
Nigeria’s sports community is in mourning following the passing of revered civil servant and sports administrator, Alhaji Abba Abdullahi Yola. The former Chief of Staff to the Minister of Youth and Sports and ex-Chairman of Kano Pillars Football Club died early Friday after a period of illness.
A seasoned technocrat, Yola held several pivotal roles, including Zonal Coordinator for the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports, Special Assistant to the DG of the National Sports Commission, and member of the Presidential Task Force that oversaw Nigeria’s qualification for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the National Sports Commission (NSC) led tributes, describing him as a “sports administrator par excellence” and a man of humility, wisdom, and enduring legacy. NFF President Ibrahim Musa Gusau and NSC Chairman Shehu Dikko both expressed deep sorrow, highlighting Yola’s immense contributions to Nigerian sports and his personal warmth.
Yola, who held the traditional title of Ciroman Kano, is remembered not only for his administrative brilliance but also for his unwavering commitment to the growth of sports in Nigeria
