By Andrew Abah
One of the biggest football Derby in the country will hold this Sunday at the Muhammed Dikko Stadium in Katsina between hosts, Katsina United and former champions, Kano Pillars.
Dubbed the Northwest Derby by the media, the fixture draws a blockbuster crowd, a huge dose of the travelling Sai Masu gida fans and the usually dominant home fans. On a typical matchday, the stadium and it’s surrounding areas witness heavy vehicular and human traffic as early as 10am.
There’s the rivalry that brews tension, sometimes rising to physical violent confrontations that spill onto the streets and leaving lots of injuries and damage to vehicles.
Last season, fans of the two clubs reached a peace pact and videos circulated online of fans of both sides cheering players of opposing teams before kickoff. It started with Pillars players going round the stands to greet the fans and it turned to a carnival of sorts as the fans beat drums and blew trumpets singing the praises of individual players by their names.
Katsina United Chairman, Surajo Malumfashi has moved to sustain the new found love between the supporters of both clubs, inviting them to turn our in numbers and recreate the carnival-like air of the last season.
In his message to the players and coaches, Malumfashi charged them to be passionate about the game in order to ensure success for the team.
To the teeming supporters, he solicited discipline, urging them to conduct themselves in good manners to maintain the already existing established relationship between the two Northwest Giants.
The club boss assured that the match will be played in an atmosphere of brotherly competition, stating, “it may be competitive, in fact explosive but the spirit of friendship and fair play will rule”.
Pillars fans usually make the short dash to their neighbouring Northwest state in a large convoy of small, medium and large coaches dressed in their favourite green and yellow shirts.
The fixture headlines the Matchday 3 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) fixtures this Sunday, September 7 and includes nine other fixtures in Aba, Enugu, Kano, Bauchi and Minna. Others will hold in Maiduguri, Ilorin, Ibadan and Abeokuta. See full fixtures below:
Matchday 3 Fixtures
Katsina United vs Kano Pillars
Remo Stars vs Warri Wolves
Kwara United vs Kun Khalifat
Wikki Tourists vs Abia Warriors
Enyimba vs Nasarawa United
El-Kanemi vs Rivers United
Shooting Stars vs Ikorodu City
Tornadoes vs Bayelsa United
