The annual fives tournament was held in Sokoto from the period 7th to 11th December 1993, with Sokoto Fives Association as hosts under the auspicies of the Fives Association of Nigeria. The tournament for the second time, was held under the new regulation whereby each participating club took care of all its expenses for the tournament.
The following clubs participated in the 1993 tournament:
Abuja Fives Association, Abuja
Kano State Fives Association
Sardauna Fives Club, Kaduna
Jinya Fives Club, Kaduna
Suleja Fives Association, Abuja
Gamji Fives Club, Sokoto
Civil Service Club, Sokoto
Kangiwa Fives Club, Sokoto
Gusau Fives Club
Gwandu Fives Association, Birnin Kebbi
Katsina State Fives Association did not participate in the tournament due to its suspension by the National body over the loss of the Sardauna Cup. Some of their officials however turned up to watch the tournament.
Day 1 - Tuesday 7th December 1993
Arrival of participating officials and players. The technical committee meeting stated for this day at 8 pm could not be held due to poor turnout. It was therefore adjourned to the next day at 8 am.
Day 2 - Wednesday 8th December 1993
The prematch meeting for the tournament was held at the Civil Service Club where decisions on the following were reached:
1. Fixtures
2. Type of tournament and venues
3. Umpires and the appointment of a match commissioner in the person of Mal.Hamisu Ibrahim.
The meeting was well attended by all participating clubs and exhaustive discussions, explanations and decisions were taken not only on the tournament but on all future tournaments and the whole concept of the game as we perceive it vis-a-vis how the international community does. The overall conclusion was that the game should be played as per the international standards. Peculiarities of hard and soft-balls were analysed at the end of which it was resolved that we should endeavour to eliminate the dents we do to international fives.
A few examples need mention:
a) Ball service for the first cut must be done to the satisfaction of the cutter. The present notion whereby the ball is served to the detriment of the cutter to stop him from cutting to his advantage was dropped.
b) De-emphasing the use of a referee and where this cannot be avoided, the need for players to play honestly indicating voluntarily if they commit any foul.
c) The issue of returning the ball with two cupped hands was extensively discussed where it was realised that due to the nature of the soft ball being used, it was fairly difficult to stop the habit especially on the first step. In the end it was resolved that efforts should be made to stop the habit. The return of the ball with both hands on the second step was automatically subject to disqualification.
Opening Ceremony Alh. Tunau Mafara and donor of the runners up cup was the guest of honour. The ceremony lacked colour as the venue of the ceremony was still under going renovation. The whole thing was very formal, brief and short with the National Chairman presenting his short address.
Day 3 - Thursday 9th December 1993
Matches continued smoothly in all venues without any hitch.
Day 4 - Friday 10th December 1993
Matches continued. A delegation of the National Association officials led by its chairman and vice patron called on Alh. Shehu Malami, Sarkin Sudan to thank the family of the late Premier for their kind gesture in the replacement of the missing cup donated by the late Premier. They were received in his office where they also invited the Sarkin Sudan to present the replacement cup on behalf of the family and also to chair the closing ceremony as guest of honour. The invitation was thus accepted on the spot.
Day 5 - Saturday 11th December 1993
Matches continued in the morning. The closing ceremony of the competition took place in the evening with Alh. Shehu Malami as guest of honour. Alh. Shehu Malami while presenting the replacement cup on behalf of the family of the late Premier, extolled the virtues, and foresight of the said late Sardauna and went on to state that it was the family's pleasure to be called upon to replace the cup and appreciated FAN's efforts to date to immortalise the late Premier.
The closing ceremonies ended with the following results of winners. The trophies were presented to the winners by the guest of honour.
1. The Sardauna Cup — Gwandu Fives Association
2. Tunau Mafara's Cup - Gamji Fives Club, Sokoto
3. Bayo Lawal's Cup - Kangiwa Fives Club, Sokoto (Intermediate category)
4. Yusufu Ladan's Cup — Kangiwa Fives Club, Sokoto (Under 16 category)
5. Abdullahi Jao Cup - The Best Team
6. Abubakar Udu's Cup — Yau Umar (Best Player Award + N250 for the Senior category)
7. Tijjani Yakubu's Cup — Umar Abdulnasir (Best Player Award + N250 Intermediate category
8. Lawal Umar's Cup — Aliyu Abdulnasir (Best Player Award + N250 in the Junior under 16 category)
Perhaps I need to comment on the greatest irony of the tournament - the veterans match competition played by a team of the Fives Association of Nigeria against the rest of participants. The match ended 1 — 1 with a decider stopped midway due to time constraints. While both teams were busy explaining their positions to the guest of honour, he mistakingly handed over the cup to Ambassador Udu who captained the Rest team, thus making them winners by default!
A cocktail party was organised in the evening for all officials and players at the Civil Service Club by the Fives Association of Nigeria.
Day 6 - Sunday 12th December 1993
Participants departed for their respective homes safely.
Acknowledgement
The Fives Association of Nigeria wishes to acknowledge with thanks donations received from the following:-
Personal Observations
I nearly fainted on arrival at the tournament venue on Tuesday 7th December for there was no sign whatsoever that the tournament would take place! The host Association apparently allowed local internal problems to overcome them with the result that their basic responsibilities as hosts were completely ignored. This for me was a tragedy considering the fact that the Sokoto Fives Association had hosted numerous Fives tournaments successfully without any hitch. I appeal to them to kindly bring back their hard working, dedicated and committed fives organisers.
Funding or lack of it seemed to be the major problem of all clubs. What this means is that we must accept that life is no longer free and success is determined by determined efforts, commitment and Naira generation technique. Any fives official who lacks these qualitites is not fit to hold any post in his club.
Fortunately for us, there still exists the interest in quite a number of officials still within the Association and this in no way contributed to the success of this year's tournament. I thank all those who wasted no time upon realising the problem, by coming in to assist instantly.
The most successful achievement to the tournament took place at the technical committee meeting on Wednesday 8th December 1993. For the first time, our whole conduct in fives and the way we play it was thoroughly and realistically discussed. In the end, it was unanimously agreed that there was need to conform to international standards. It was also agreed that our local perception and conduct at the game should be discarded for the better. Henceforth, the key words governing our conduct should be discipline and honesty. The reality was also accepted that all clubs must be run by dedicated and qualified staff who must be respected and obeyed at all times by players. The promotion of fives would henceforth be a collective responsibility both in conduct and revenue generation and expenditure.
Finally, the Fives Association of Nigeria would hold everybody responsible for the enforcement of these decisions.
Adamu Yakubu, National Secretary1993 Sardauna Tournament by A Yakabu
Created 12th February 2006 by Mike Fenn
efa@etonfives.co.uk