Kano Pillars is one of the very best football clubs in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL). They're popularly called Sai Masu Gida.
The Kano State club has won four NPFL titles. Their first win was in 2008, before going on to string three consecutive NPFL titles between 2011 and 2014.
They've also produced notable players like current Super Eagles captain Ahmed Musa, Rabiu Ali, Victor Namo, Mohammed Gambo and many others.
All through the years at the club, these players have managed to write their names in the sands of time for both Kano Pillars and the NPFL.
These players gave their best while at Kano Pillars, and have continued to remain relevant in discussions of the greatest players to have featured for the four-time NPFL winners.
Now let's take you through the players.
Five greatest players in Kano Pillars history
Rabiu Ali
One among the bests ever produced by Nigeria Rabiu Ali, Arguably the G.O.A.T in the NPFL
◉ 43 years of age
◉ Still plays football for 90'
◉ 100+NPFL goals
◉ Arguably 200+goals contributions
◉ Midfielder
◉ Played in 14 seasons, Scored in allHe deserves a national honor 🤝 pic.twitter.com/vhLh6Csril
— Leagues Reporter (@LeaguesReporter) June 26, 2023
Without doubts, the first player to be mentioned amongst Kano Pillars five greatest players in history is none other than the legendary midfielder, Rabiu Ali.
Prior to joining Kano Pillars, he played for Total Pillars (Red Devils) from 2005 to 2011.
Ali joined Kano Pillars in 2011 and has remained at the club until the time of writing in 2023.
Kano Pillars have had a rich history in the NPFL, and their league story and success cannot be complete without mentioning their star player Rabiu Ali.
Ali was a key figure in the treble NPFL wins that the team had between 2011/12 season to 2013/14. At the time of writing, the super midfielder is 42 and still remains a part of the home-based Super Eagles. He is one of the oldest footballers still playing football in the world.
Rabiu Ali has scored 109 league goals for Kano Pillars, and he's the leading goal scorer for both Kano Pillars and the NPFL in general.
When the club got relegated in the 2021/22 season, Ali refused to quit Pillars even when offers came for him to join other clubs in the NPFL.
Ali helped Kano Pillars get back into the league after one season in Nigeria's second-tier league, and he looks set to resume the 2023/24 season in the NPFL with Kano Pillars to continue his legendary footprints for the Sai Masu Gida.
Ahmed Musa
Ahmed Musa is one of the first players of the new generation to have made his mark in the NPFL before leaving to play in Europe.
Granted, the current Super Eagles captain, Musa, did not start his career at Kano Pillars but rather began his career at the GBS Football Academy, before he moved to Kano Pillars in the 2009/10 season.
Musa set the league on fire as he broke through the Kano Pillars first team, scoring 18 goals that stood as the record goal scorer in the NPFL with 18 goals before it was broken by Jude Aneke seasons later.
Although Musa spent just one season at Kano Pillars, he did enough to earn a place in the top five greatest Pillars players as he became their best export.
After playing for many clubs in Europe, Musa came back to play for Kano Pillars in 2021, making his debut for Kano Pillars against Enyimba on 5 May 2021. He went on to play eight times for Sai Masu Gida before returning back to Europe to play for Fatih Karagümrük after Pillars got relegated that season.
Victor Namo
Victor Namo started his career with Yobe Desert Stars before Kano Pillars FC scouts noticed him and brought him to the club in 2006.
Namo had a successful career with Kano Pillars Football club where he played from 2006 to 2012 helping the Sai Masu Gida win its first Nigerian Premier League title in the 2007/08 season.
Namo's goal scoring form helped Kano Pillars to eliminate the likes of Al Ahly in the semifinals, scoring both at home and away in that encounter at the CAF Champions League in 2009.
Although Kano Pillars fell to TP Mazembe in the champions league finals, Namo did his best. He finished the campaign with 7 goals under his belt that season.
He left the club in 2012 immediately after helping Kano Pillars secure its second NPFL title in the 2011/12 season to join Nasarawa United.
Namo's long years at Kano Pillars and the success Sai Masu Gida recorded while the striker was there puts him as one of the greatest players to have played for Kano Pillars.
Mohammad Gambo
Gambo moved to Kano Pillars from Buffalo F.C. in 2006 and has since been a sensation for his current club scoring over 70 goals in league and cup competitions.
He was part of the Pillars team that won the NPFL for the first time in 2008.
He scored 15 goals in the NPFL in the 2012 season with 5 goals in the Cup to help Pillars win their second league title. He went on to win two more NPFL titles to bring his total wins to four.
In July 2013 he was close to signing with Tunisian club, Club Africain, but contract negotiations broke down and from 2015 his career progress started dwindling but he has done enough to earn a place amongst the top five
Sani Ualiru
Sani Ualiru earns a place in the top five greatest Kano Pillars players. Ualiru was a goalkeeper for the Pillars side who was in-between the sticks for Kano Pillars as they won three consecutive NPFL titles from 2012 to 2014.
He was known to command his defense very well during his peak years at the club.
This article was most recently revised and updated 1 year ago
