By Sylvanus Ofekun

The Emir of Zauzzau, Alhaji Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli on Saturday flagged off the Confederation of African Athletics Region II Championship in Zaria, Kaduna state. 

The excited Sarkin Zauzzau was full of praise for the Atheletics Federation of Nigeria AFN when he flagged off the 21km half marathon race to herald the two -day regional  event.

The highly respected Emir thanked the AFN President Engr Ibrahim Shehu Gusau for his contributions to sports development in the country especially in Zaria, where the youths are taking to sports as a means of livelihood and recreation. 

“I believe that this competition in Zaria is the beginning of more events to come to this city. This will attract more sports tourism to Zaria if it becomes a consistent thing in Zaria”

In his response, the AFN  President Ibrahim Gusau described Zaria as an ancient city with Ahmadu Bello University participating actively in sports in the early seventies and eighties beford fizzling out.

“One  of the ways of bringing back sports in the city, the University and the Region is by bringing these events to the area. It is a three-in-one Athletics fiesta in Zaria  because we just concluded the National Selections  here on Thursday as well as the CAA Region ll which is ongoing and the Grand Prix which will be held on Monday. 

10 countries namely Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Senegal, Ghana, 

Liberia, Guinea Bissau, Benin Republic, and Niger are currently participating in the two-day  Confederation of African Athletics Region II Championship at Ahmadu Bello Sports Complex,Zaria,Kaduna state.