One of the most promising handball clubs in Nigeria, Kwara Adorable Angels is on the verge of extinction. While Kwara United Football Club was battling relegation in the 2022/23 Nigeria Premier Football League season, the fate of Adorable Angels was sealed and BANISHED to the National Division 1 Handball League.
RISE OF ADORABLE ANGELS
Kwara Adorable Angels rose to stardom in 2019 after lifting the women’s title of the National Division 1 Handball League in Kaduna State. The team did not only lift the title but was unbeaten throughout the campaign scooping the award of the highest goal scorer and the youngest team.
Newcomers, Adorable Angels shocked the handball fraternity by winning the 2020 Prudent Energy Handball League in their debut season. Idowu Abdulrazaq won the Most Valuable Player (MVP)/Highest Goal Scorer, Wuraola Nuhu won Best Left Back, Muhinat Yusuf won Best Right Back while Rebecca Jon won (Best Right Wing) in their first attempt.
The Governor of Kwara State, Mallam Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq paid the players a surprise visit during the 2020 season when the performance of the players was covered by various media outlets in the country. According to the Governor, his visit to the team boosted the morale of the handball league during the season. The Handball Federation of Nigeria (HFN) invited six players of the squad to camp the following year ahead of the African Women’s Handball Championship in Cameroon.
In the 2021 Prudent Energy Handball League season, Adorable Angels could not win a double but finished second position despite the threats posed by other established teams.
FALL OF ADORABLE ANGELS
Due to the inability of the players to get jobs in the Kwara State Sports Council/Commission, other paramilitary handball teams poached Adorable Angels HC and offered them job opportunities with juicy offers. This led to the mass exodus of players and the Adorable Angels HC squad became depleted.
Demoralised Adorable Angels went into the first phase of the 2022 Prudent Energy Handball League unprepared with a team that did not train for three months. The team managed to finish 9th position out of ten teams as Kada Queens did not feature in the league.
Things went from bad to worse for Adorable Angels as the team did not attend the second phase of the 2022 Prudent Energy Handball League which led to their expulsion from the National Division One League.
ADORABLE ANGELS FAIL TO APPEAR AT DIV 1 LEAGUE
The question on the lips of stakeholders was why Kwara Adorable Angels were absent at the 2023 National Division 1 Handball League. In the last four years, the men’s team attended the Division 1 league but this time, they were nowhere to be found.
One would have directed the question to the Chairman of Kwara State Handball Association but till this moment, the association is yet to be inaugurated by the Kwara State Sports Commission.
Hopefully critical stakeholders will revive Adorable Angels and ensure they return to the Ardova Handball Premier League where they truly belong.
Sporting Regards to the sports fraternity in Kwara State
Since they politically removed Me Emmanuel Olubiyo. Who fought tooth and nail for the team. What do you expect from someone who knows nothing on how to build a team. It really sad and pathetic.