“No plan to rename Kaduna’s Ahmadu Bello stadium”
The management of the Ahmadu Bello Stadium in Kaduna has denied reports of a plan to rename the iconic stadium named after the first premier of Northern Nigeria, Sir Ahmadu Bello.
Daily Trust surveyed the environment of the stadium in an attempt to uncover any sign or plaque to buttresses a rumoured renaming process but none was seen except for the fact that some parts of the structure have been given a new look.
A top management staff of the stadium, who spoke with our correspondent, said he was not aware of any attempt to rename the stadium, adding that the edifice belongs to the federal government which means any change in name would go through several committees and justification would be given for it.
He said the Ahmadu Bello Stadium used to be under the National Sports Commission before it was placed under the Ministry of Sports and Youth Development which oversees its activities. “The management and office in Kaduna are only zonal offices which receive directives from the federal ministry,” he said.
Other staff members around the stadium told our correspondent that the stadium has been known for its name in the last 50 years and any change to the name would be ill-advised.
“You can check around the whole surrounding, there is no new building or plaque that would suggest any plan on ground to rename the stadium. Changing the name of an edifice such as this is not a good move and if someone wants to be honoured, a new edifice should be built and named after him,” they said.
The Stadium Manager, Gideon Malo, when contacted said he was not in a position to make any statement as only Abuja could do that.