Nigeria Nationwide League One Season has kicked off in Kano State, northern Nigeria.
The league got underway at the Sani Abacha Stadium in Kano with the Matchday 1 opener of the League One season between Kano Pillars Jnr and Kwankwasiya FC.
The match played host to tens of thousands of passionate indigenous supporters in the commercial city of Kano.
It was the star match of the first week into the 2023 season of the Nigerian third-tier league which saw both teams go toe to toe in their bid to get a perfect start to the season.
Despite settling for a 1-1 draw at full-time, supporters of both clubs said they were not disappointed with the quality of the match and were pleased with how conducive the atmosphere was throughout the game.
Speaking with Sports Journalists after the game, the Chief Operating Officer of the Nigeria Nationwide League One, NLO, Mr Olushola Ogunnowo expressed satisfaction with the start of the League One season.
Mr Ogunnowo also expressed delight with the outcome of the match, especially the turnout of the fans and officiating.
“I am a very happy man today because we put in a lot of hard work, a lot of effort and a lot of perseverance to make sure it happens this way. I’m glad that we have a good turnout, at least we can say roughly we have close to 7-8 thousand spectators inside the stadium, and this is what we are wishing for, this is what we have been praying for to happen in the grassroots football league ” he said.
He commended the Kano State Football Association Chairman, Alhaji Sharif Rabi’u Inuwa Ahlan for the role he played in successfully hosting the match day 1 of the season.
“The Kano state FA have been very helpful, they are the owner of the facility, they’re the owner of the state, the clubs are affiliated to them and they have been supportive, if they are not supportive, we cannot achieve this kind of success.
“So I want to thank Ahlan, the FA chairman of Kano state, he gave us a lot of freebies and we are happy to be here,” Ogunnowo said.
League format
The 2023 season schedule returns to the Stadium League Format, after it was adopted and vetoed in February by the NLO Congress held virtually, as it considered the security, economic and political challenges in the country.
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The body had held a media briefing at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos, on Wednesday, April 26, 2023, to update sponsors, corporate organizations, and football stakeholders on its activities over the past decade.
The theme of the event was “2013-2022: A Decade of Growth,” which celebrated the league’s achievements over the past 10 years while highlighting its objectives and future plans.
The NLO is Nigeria’s third-tier football league and in 2022 had 344 clubs spread across the country’s six geopolitical zones and the FCT.
The league provides young Nigerians with an opportunity to develop their skills and reach their full potential while promoting community, respect, inclusivity, and growth.
With over 20,000 players, coaches, officials, and over 8,000,000 match-day attendance per season, the NLO represents a significant opportunity for businesses to achieve their objectives.
The NLO’s primary objectives are to reposition the league as a key resource base for other local and international leagues, professionalize its operations, and generate interest from corporate organizations.
From this season, NLO will feature 420 clubs and will have only two divisions instead of three with Divisions II and III merged into the Youth League.
Emmanuel Ukoh
