*organisers say race meant for Kano residents
By; AYO OJEDOKUN, Lagos
Winners of the 2021 Arewa Radio Marathon, Kano have described the race as a fraud, even as they have sent a petition to the Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero CFR to use his good office and compel the organisers of the race to pay them their prize money, which they have refused to do, close to a year after the marathon.
In a petition signed on behalf of the first to third winners respectively, namely; Stephen Joshua Dolyop, Paul James Pam and Emmanuel Gyang Gwom by their representative, Izuchukwu Udegbunam of Bunubunu Culture and Sporting Company Ltd, a copy of which was sent to Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), the athletes described as wickedness, insensitive and criminal for the race organisers to commence announcement of the 2022 edition, when they’ve not paid the winners of last year’s event.
They noted that they’re beginning to suspect that the whole race is a fraud and the organisers out to defraud unsuspecting youth of the country.
According to them, they decided to send the petition to the Emir, because the race began in front of his Palace and ended at the Ado Bayero University Gate, with the representative of the Emir, Alhaji Abubakar Sule Gaya in attendance and it is necessary that the foremost royal father wades into the matter since they used his name to give credibility to the race.
They further stated that after the race, the organisers invited the winners to their station, where they offered to pay only the first winner which their representative refused, reminding them that the athletes purchased forms for the race ranging from N3,000 to N5,000 and paid transportation to Kano and also took care of their accommodation, just as he reminded them that they are supposed to keep to the terms of the marathon, which they put down before the race.
“It was at this stage they changed the story and told us that the race was only for Kano residents which is unheard of in marathon all over the world.
” It’s unfortunate that Arewa Radio, organisers of the race could do this to us. The race took place on December 4 last year and since then, our prize money has not been paid. Some of us paid registration fee of N3,000 while they collected N5,000 for late registration.
“After this, we were all screened and allocated numbers with running vests, but to our greatest surprise, they’ve refused to pay the prize money and we’re beginning to suspect that the whole thing is a fraud”, the petition stated.
Emmanuel Gyang Gwom, the race first runner-up told our correspondent on phone that as an elite athlete, his only means of livelihood is marathon races and wondered why the organisers are behaving funny.
” I’m still at a loss on why Arewa Radio is treating us this way when I put a call across to the Media Officer of the race, Binta Fulani Abdullahi, she told me that we would not be paid because the race was meant for only Kano residents.
“But I made her understand that the form we filled never indicated that the race is not open to all and after that time, she stopped picking my calls, which to me is unprofessional and that’s why we’re calling on the Emir of Kano, Kano State Government and well meaning individuals of the state to intervene on our behalf “, he stressed.
However, when our correspondent put a call across to Binta Fulani Abdullahi, she maintained that the race was meant for Kano residents and that others were cleared in error.
