Sports Minister, NFF, SWAN mourn the passing of Chairman of House of Reps Committee on Sports, Hon. Ekene Adams
Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Enoh, the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF and the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, SWAN, expressed shock over the demise of House of Representatives Committee Chairman on Sports, Honourable Ekene Abubakar Adams.
Honourable Ekene Adams passed away after a period of illness. Until his passing, he served as the chairman of the House Committee on Sports.
He also held positions as the CEO of Kada City Football Club and general manager of Remo Stars at different times before winning the House of Representatives seat in the 2023 general election.
Senator Enoh expressed his sadness, stating, ‘Honourable Ekene was deeply passionate about sports and played a significant role in the growth and development of sports in Nigeria. I offer my heartfelt condolences to Honourable Ekene’s family.
‘He was a sportsman par excellence who not only played the game but also administered and invested in it. We will miss his wealth of experience and the passion he brought to sports.’
‘Honourable Ekene was a kind and gentle humanitarian, loved by all who knew him. His dedication to the development of grassroots sports in Nigeria was solid, and his contributions to the house will be deeply missed.’
The Minister of Sports, permanent secretary, Mrs Tinuke Watti, President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee, Engr Habu Gumel, the Speaker and members of the House of Representatives amongst others were present to condole with the family.
President of NFF, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau, in a letter he personally signed to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, extolled the virtues of the late Hon. Adams, saying the deceased was ‘the leader of a very important committee in the House of Representatives and a man who was very much alive to his duties, tasks, assignments, obligations and responsibilities.
‘As someone who has worked in football all his life, contributing his quota to the development of the game on the domestic front, Hon Ekene Abubakar Adams was well-known to the entire football fraternity, and it was no surprise that he was very keen on further development of the game of football in the country while he served as Chairman of the House Committee on Youth and Sports Development.
‘From serving and excelling as General Manager of Kada Stars Football Club of Kaduna to serving and accomplishing great things as General Manager of Remo Stars Football Club of Ikenne, to his glorious political sojourn that ended with Chairmanship of one of the most important committees in Nigeria’s Parliament, the late Hon.
‘Adams surely left his bold and indelible footprints in the sands of time, and departed with a legacy of distinguished service to the football industry and to the country’s legislative chambers.
‘We all loved him, but God Almighty loves him much more. Rather than be thrown into dejection and sorrow, we must endeavour to celebrate Hon. Adams’ fruitful and fulfilled existence here on planet Earth,’ wrote Gusau who thereafter paid a condolence visit to the house of the departed where he met with his mother and wife.
Meanwhile, the leadership of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) has also expressed shock over the demise of Honourable Adams.
SWAN President, Mr. Isaiah Benjamin, in a statement on Tuesday described Hon. Ekene’s death as irreparable while commiserating with his immediate family, Football fraternity, National Assembly and the entire sporting sector.
‘To say I’m sad about the demise of Hon. Ekene is by far an under-statement. I’m still shock and is unbelievable that a man of his calibre and quality is no more. Hon. Ekene who has been a long close friend of the sporting media is a man worthy of emulation.
‘Sincerely, Hon. Ekene lived well within his short stay on earth. I really find it difficult to believe he is no more on this side of living. I pray that his good deeds on earth will keep his memories alive with all of us,’ he said.
