A sports analyst, Paul Simon, has called for a change in leadership at the Kogi State Handball Association, citing the decline in the association’s achievements under the chairmanship of Jubril Ojih Saidu. Simon emphasized the deterioration of the sport’s development and participation in recent years, which has led to increasing calls for Saidu to step down after seven years in office.
Simon reflected on the glory days of Kogi State handball, recalling the association’s dominance in underage categories under former chairman Okakwu I. During that period, Kogi teams secured numerous victories, including the U12 championship in 1992 and multiple medals at the U15 and U18 levels. However, since Saidu took over in 2018, the state has failed to field teams for key national competitions, such as the U12/U15 Handball Championships, hosted annually by Sokoto State.
The recent incident involving Kogi’s Confluence Stars team, which suffered an accident returning from a Premier League match, further highlighted the association’s troubles. Saidu publicly criticized the state government for neglecting the team, but the Kogi State Sports Council countered by accusing him of failing to secure necessary travel approvals.
Many in the Kogi sports community, including prominent figures like Chief Moses Balogun, are calling for Saidu’s resignation. Comrade Ogah Mark Okpanachi has emerged as a leading candidate to restore the association to its former success, with a vision of nurturing local talent and rebuilding the sport.
As Kogi’s handball teams face relegation and administrative challenges mount, stakeholders are pushing for new leadership to revive the sport.
