The Chairman of the organizing committee, Abdullahi Thousands, has described football as a powerful tool for promoting peace, unity, and social cohesion, following a community celebration hosted by Arsenal Football Club supporters in Makarfi Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
Speaking at the event held at the residence of the late former Kaduna State Governor, Malam Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi, Thousands said the gathering demonstrated that football could bring people together regardless of club loyalties.
He noted that the presence of Arsenal supporters alongside fans of rival clubs and Spanish league teams reflected the true spirit of sportsmanship and mutual respect.
Thousands added that taking the celebration to the grassroots provided an opportunity to engage directly with local football enthusiasts, whom he described as the backbone of the sports community. He thanked all participants and contributors for ensuring the success of the event.
Earlier, the Secretary of the Planning Committee, Abubakar Dogara Fagachi, said the gathering was organized to celebrate Arsenal's achievements while strengthening friendship and unity among football lovers in Makarfi.
Fagachi dismissed criticism over the timing of the celebration, explaining that the event was the grassroots phase of a series of celebrations that had earlier been held at the national, state, and zonal levels in Kano, Kaduna, and Zaria.
He stressed that the event was intentionally opened to supporters of rival clubs and Spanish league teams to promote peaceful coexistence, noting that football should unite rather than divide communities.
The organizers appealed to other football supporters' groups to organize similar community-building activities to encourage sportsmanship, friendship, and peaceful coexistence across the region.