Ambassador of Nigeria to Qatar, H E Yakubu Abdullahi Ahmed (fourth left), Walking Football Qatar President Farhan Al Sheikh Al Sayed (centre), NIDO-Qatar President Ajibade Lateef (fourth right), Farouk Wase (first right) with the winning team captain and other officials during the event.
The Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation – Qatar (NIDO-Qatar) recently concluded its annual football competition in honour of the late Ambassador of Nigeria to Qatar H E Abdullahi Bawa Wase, who passed on in 2018.
Spencer FC defeated team Oasis in the final to claim the trophy, presented by the Ambassador of Nigeria to Qatar, H E Yakubu Abdullahi Ahmed. The final ceremony was also attended by Farhan Al Sheikh Al Sayed, president of Walking Football Qatar, NIDO-Qatar president Ajibade Lateef, former NIDO-Qatar president Victor Ikoli, the family of late ambassador as well as officials of NIDO-Qatar and members of the Nigerian community in Doha. Besides, the football match organisers held a draw, gifting ten winners vouchers to study management, IT and occupational health and safety programmes at ICON Training Center.
Speaking to The Peninsula on the community event, Al Sayed said, “I’m really happy to see the Nigerian community coming together for such a memorable football tournament in Doha just before the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
The spirit is high, and I could see how popular His Excellency, the former ambassador, the late Abdullahi Wase, was to his community. He must have done good service that they still remember him four years after his passing. The final was played very well as both teams had high spirits and good standards. I was impressed with the community football level in Doha.”
Al Sayed stressed the importance of the expat community to Qatar’s development and indicated that the World Cup set to hold from November 20 to December 18 this year makes it an excellent atmosphere for community events to thrive.
“The communities of Qatar are important. They are the backbone of the progress and development in the country. I was also happy to see His Excellency the Ambassador in attendance,” he added.
Leader of the Nigerian community in Qatar, Lateef, said the football competition is an opportunity for the community to gather and celebrate the relations between Qatar and Nigeria and at the same time honour the late ambassador.
He thanked the participating teams and urged Nigerians to continue being model citizens.
Meanwhile, the son of the late envoy in whose honour the tournament is being held, Farouk Wase expressed his family’s gratitude for the recognition accorded to his father. Farouk also thanked the Nigerian community and the embassy for staging the event.
