Kwara United’s General Manager, Mallam Bashir Badawiy, insists his team isn’t merely focused on eliminating Ghana’s Asante Kotoko in the CAF Confederation Cup preliminary round.
The Nigerian FA Cup champions aim to win the entire tournament, he declared in an exclusive interview with Kumasi-based Akoma FM.
Badawiy dismissed concerns about hostile crowds ahead of their first-leg trip to Ghana, pointing to his squad’s continental experience. “We faced a full-capacity stadium in Sudan and nearly qualified against Morocco’s RS Berkane,” he noted.
“Big crowds don’t intimidate us—it’s about mentality. If you can’t perform in such environments, you don’t belong here.” He added playfully, “Even at Maracanã with 500,000 fans, show the world your talent.”
Addressing Kotoko directly, Badawiy blended respect with ambition: “You’re a big team—take it easy on us. But we’re coming to win the trophy.” He invited Ghanaian fans to support Kwara United in the September 19 return leg in Ilorin, urging them to “welcome the Confederation Cup to Nigeria.”
The club seeks to translate domestic success onto Africa’s stage, with Badawiy confident their mentality can deliver continental silverware.
