Youths who are into sports have been advised to combine education with sports so that later in life they will have something to fall back on.

The Executive Chairman of Kwara State Sports Commissions, Mallam Bola Magaji gave the advice when Ex Basketball players who are in the state to organise a one- day Basketball tournament for secondary schools paid courtesy visit to his office on Tuesday.

Magaji commended the ex players for their efforts to develop the youths and coming
to give back the society.

He enjoined them not to relent in the efforts as they are helping to develop the sports in the state.

The ex players while responding implored the Commission to help inform the government to increase the subvension of Kwara Falcons Basketball team.

The final of the tournament which is being organised by the Ex players in conjunction with the Kwara state Basketball Association will come up by 4pm today.

The Board of the Nigeria Basketball Federation has extended its gratitude to His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari for rescinding the Federal Government’s decision, through the Honourable Minister of Youth and Sport, Chief Sunday Dare, to withdraw the national teams from international basketball.

In its immediate reaction, following the press conference presided over by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, Alh. Ismaila Abubakar, held on Thursday in Abuja to announce the decision, the NBBF board said it was heart-warming that the best interests of the players and stakeholders have prevailed.

Speaking through its President, Engr Ahmadu Musa Kida, the board said, “After the back and forth, I am quite glad to see that this decision is reached, and it is a major victory for basketball. This is what I truly will say, no victor and no vanquished”.

“It gladdens our heart that the Federal Government has decided to return basketball to where it rightfully belongs”.

“We recognize that some of the actions of the stakeholders and their effects are regrettable. Vital lessons have been learnt and stakeholders are now committed to close ranks in the overall interest of the game”.

“There can be no viable grassroots development without international exposure. No country can be an island while every kid who takes up sports wants to play on the global stage and represent its fatherland, with the resultant huge economic benefit to the child that attains global recognition in the game”, Kida said.

Kida also emphasized that the NBBF pledged, in line with its decision at its last meeting in Lagos, to set up a high-powered and all-inclusive committee to reconcile every genuine grievance amongst stakeholders.

“At our last board meeting, we resolved to put machinery in motion to bring every genuine stakeholder to the table. We have also resolved to maintain a very high level of respect for the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Sports, as we recognize their supervisory role in line with global laws governing sports federations”.

It stated that the reconciliatory move will herald the necessary constitutional amendments recommended by the stakeholders, through the FMYSD and others, as approved by the NBBF congress- the highest governing body of basketball in Nigeria.

The NBBF President, Engr Musa Kida, thanked the Honourable Minister, the Permanent Secretary and the other Management staff of the Ministry for their support in resolving the issue.

NBBF Media Committee

Following the intervention by concerned stakeholders, former Nigerian International basketballers, well meaning Nigerians and a letter of appeal by Musa Kida on behalf of the board of the Nigeria Basketball Federation(NBBF), the decision of the Federal Government to withdraw from international basketball for two years has been rescinded.

Kida’s letter of appeal dated June 17, 2022 addressed to the Honourable Minister of Youth and Sports Development Sunday Dare, among other things apologised to Mr President and the Minister over the embarrassment the issues around the game and the conduct of some of its actors have brought on the nation, appealing to him to use his good offices to approach President Buhari for the reversal of the self imposed ban.

The appeal letter also gave key undertakings to immediately set in motion the process of the NBBF Statures review, and the reconciliation of all contending and aggrieved parties both home and abroad as well as commiting to work in tandem with the Ministry.

Following from the above, and in the overriding spirit of national interest, love for the Nigerian youth and the development of the sport, President Muhammadu Buhari approved the return of Nigeria to international basketball immediately.

In giving this approval, it is noteworthy that the laws of Nigeria must be respected and not subjugated to any other law and all those leading government organisations and sports federations must know that they hold such positions in trust for Nigeria and under the supervision of the Minister of Youth and Sports.

As the proverbial maxim posits, the future of any sports is in the development of its grassroots. Across different generations of stellar sports teams in different events, the production talent bed is one of the fulcrum of its success.

Grassroots does not only catalyze sporting success, it also guarantees the long term sustainability of such successes.

Grassroot Basketball in Nigeria in the last number of years has continued to wallow in rot due to the non-existent reality of the sport, at the grassroot level. Unmitigated in-house fightings amongst stakeholders in the country crashed the entire grassroot system. The local league has been crippled, sponsors and investors have all disappeared and local players are watching right before their eyes, their talents waste away.

The implication of this, is the total destruction of a whole sporting value chain, which spells doom for the future. Basketball should have a operational system where the top echelon depends on a feeder unit for its sustainability but this hasn’t been the case for Nigeria, as those saddled with the responsibility have all ended up departing from what is meant to be at the core of their job description.

The rebirth has started. After the Federal Government’s approval of Nigeria’s withdrawal from international basketball, the Honourable Minister for Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare announced that the country must use this opportunity to delve in to the deep and rescue basketball in Nigeria through a holistic rebuilding process. While the country takes a step back during this period, so it can make a giant leap, the Interim Management Committee set up to steer the affairs of basketball in the country have been charged in very strong terms, amongst other things to catalyze grassroot development of basketball.

Quoting the Honourable Minister, Sunday Dare during the inauguration of Nigeria Basketball IMC, he mandated them thus “draw up programmes that will revamp basketball from the grassroots”.

In his statement, Dare stated thus “Nigeria at this critical time is more interested in developing young basketball talents and the domestic league…for years the basketball value chain has been truncated such that home-based players, coaches, physical trainers and sponsors were left empty”.

These words from the Honourable Minister shows that the responsibilities of the IMC is explicitly defined; develop youth and grassroots basketball and organize the domestic league.

The hope for the future is that the ambitions are clear, in that there is a reflection to understand that Nigeria’s successes in the last couple of years is the product of other county’s system. This is not a problem at all, because the national team should be about the best of the best competing for places. But how can the local players compete favourably without a running domestic league or efficient grassroots? What if the U.S.A abandoned their local system like Nigeria? What would be of our national teams? The successes recorded have only papered the cracks but haven’t addressed the deeper issues of development. If the home front is solid, the foreign players are playing well abroad, it makes for a decent balance of healthy competion for places; but in a case where the domestic scene is dormant, it’s simply glossing the surface to think the game is thriving.

Already, the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports have hit the ground running, announcing that a new Nation Secondary Basketball championship is on the cards. Just as we saw the National Principal’s Cup, this looks an achievable project for the FMYSD.

Kudos must go to Honourable Sunday Dare for this vision at a time like this. The onus is now on the IMC to deliver on this mandate. They cannot afford to fail.the country at a time like this. This National assignment has been entrusted into their hands and failure is not an excuse. Well, one would be confident by the fact that the profiles of the IMC members fits the bill. Here’s to a new dispensation. Here is to the rebirth of grassroot basketball. Here is to success. Cheers Naija. The rebirth has started!!

The Minister made this known during the inauguration of an 11-man team to manage the game within a stipulated period.

He stated “the Terms of Reference of the Committee are to amongst others,
draw up programmes that will revamp basketball from the grassroots,
attract corporate sponsors and revive the moribund domestic leagues for
the development of the game within 2 years, and ensure the development
of Basketball facilities in the entire country, and any other thing that will
facilitate the development of Basketball in Nigeria”.

“I therefore charge you all to carry out this enormous task with utmost sense of responsibility, bearing in mind you cannot afford to fail in this National assignment”.

The members of the Interim Management Committee include:

Dr. Henry Nzekwu – Chairman​

Mr. Udon Ubon Humapwa – Member

Mr. Frank Jituboh – Member

Zenith Bank Representative – Member

Prof. Adamu Ahmed – Member

Mr. Peter Nelson – Member

Grp. Captain Rahinatu Garba – Member

Aderemi Adewunmi – Member

Oluchi Nzekwe – Member

Seni Adio (SAN) – Member

The Pro- NBBF campaigners have tried endlessly, to paint the Sports ministry in bad light while also trying to gather enough support and sympathy for the NBBF Board rendered redundant by the recent decision of the Sports ministry to withdraw Nigeria from all international competitions for atleast two years.

Unlike in the past when these men would easily have accused the sports ministry of interference, this time, their hands are tied because the ministry in it’s wisdom, cleverly avoided these controversies by playing smart.

A dissolution of the board of the NBBF would have incurred the wrath of the Federation of international Basketball Association (FIBA), and would have given the opposition enough reason to condemn the sports ministry with their usual claim of government interference.

Unfortunately, the NBBF has not gotten to that point where they can pride themselves as being autonomous. That is because, the federation still depends on government fundings to execute most of it’s competitions.

Secondly, the federation cannot operate without the athletes who incidentally are citizens of this country and as citizens of this country, government reserves the right to decide if they should participate in international competitions or compete locally.

Every country wants to showcase her talents internationally. The whole essence of taking part in international sporting competitions is to create a platform for the youths of this country to have an opportunity to meet people of other countries, to make new friends and to foster peaceful co-existence among participants and competing countries.

Nigeria Basketballers have performed excellently in the last five years but in the midst of these excellence, lies an unstable leadership.

The crisis in the NBBF has exposed the many ills in the administration of the sport, there have been allegations and counter allegations of misappropriation and misapplication of funds.

Players have protested locally and internationally demanding for unpaid match bonuses. There have been instances where the image of Nigeria has been severely tarnished because some individuals failed to do their job. Or perhaps because, these players are taking advantage of the crisis to make unnecessary claims or demands.

There is also a complete neglect of the local league which is none existence. A league that was once sponsored by Zenith Bank has been abandoned because the warring factions could not put aside their personal differences for the good of the sport.

Government cannot sit back and pretend as if all is well when in truth, a lot has gone totally byserk.

As the Supreme body incharge of sports in Nigeria, the ministry tried to wade into the matter, using all available means at it’s disposal to broker peace between the Tijani Umar Led board and the Engineer Musa Kida led body.

In January this year, the nation was excitedly looking forward to the end of the crisis during the federation elections, but there was yet another shocker. Two Elections took place. One in Edo and another in the federal capital territory, Abuja.

What this means is that, two presidents have again emerged to further prolong the crisis and leave government with only one option, which is to wield the big stick.

Ordinarily, dissolving the board of the federation would have been the best option but the ministry was aware of the implication of such action so they opted for the other, which is, withdrawing the National teams from international competitions for two years.

In taking this decision, the ministry left the two federation presidents with the option of joining in the rebuilding process. No one told them to stop flaunting their egos as NBBF presidents but what the ministry did in this case, is to set up an independent body, saddled with the responsibility of organizing grassroot competitions starting with an Under-18 championship.

It is rather unfortunate that many did not see the wisdom in this decision but for the benefit of doubt, the ministry was quick to highlight the reasons behind their action as follows.

1. The need to put an end to five years of endless leadership crisis
2. The urgent need to revive the Basketball league after many years of neglect
3. The need to make the environment conducive once again for sponsors to invest in Nigeria Basketball
4. The need to give our local players a chance to grow
5. The need to create local competitions where talented basketballers can be discovered in two years.

All these are the reasons behind government’s decision which if properly looked at, became inevitable and was done in the best interest of the sport and the athletes.

“I am so excited that many kids can now come out in Osun state and express themselves through basketball. Many kids love this game but have found no means of expression due to the dearth of facilities”.
To solve the deficit of home-based players in the national teams, there must be a radical approach to addressing facility deficits all across Nigeria. Government at various levels must wake up and address these challenges”.
Present at the brief event that took place in Osogbo were the Director of Sport, Osun State Ministry of Youth and Sports, Layi Adeshiyan. Special Adviser to the Osun State Governor on Youth and Sports, Aremo Adelabu, Senior Special Assistant to the Osun State Governor, Vincent Akinbami, General Manager, Osun state Sports Council, Rotimi Dunmoye, and other dignitaries.
Meanwhile, it will be the turn of kids within Osun State as the state Basketball Association has concluded arrangements for the South West Basketball Association Secondary School Championship for secondary schools.
On the 18th and 19th in Oshogbo at the newly renovated basketball court, secondary school students within the state will compete for the sole zonal finals ticket in the boys and girls categories.

••• Organisers Commends Kwara Sport Commission, Basketball Association •••

Organisers of the Milo Nestle Secondary school basketball championship has said the Energy Food Drink of Future Champions has inspired the youth of Nigeria in sport to instil life values such as hard work, responsibility, fair play, discipline, perseverance, togetherness and team work.

National Coordinator of the competition, Col. Sam Ahmedu, a board member of the Nigeria Basketball Federation, stated this during the tip off of the Central Conference Playoffs of the competition on Monday 16th May, 2022 in Ilorin, adding that the competition has been an avenue for youth engagement, integration and talent discovery with special recognition to Precious Achuwa, discovered in 2014, now playing for the Toronto Raptors and represented Nigeria at the Olympic games.

The President, FIBA Africa Zone III Commended Milo for its twenty two years of active tournament and affirmed that there will be value for time at the end of the Central Conference Playoffs in Ilorin.

During a courtesy visit to the Executive chairman of the Kwara Sport Commission, Coach Bola Mogaji, Col. Sam appreciated the support by the state Sport Commission an for its association with brains and hammers that would bring dividends to Sports, noting that Kwara occupies a strong hold in Nigeria Basketball which prompt the decision to push the championship to the state of Harmony.

Coach Bola Mogaji, in his response, maintained the Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq’s led government vision is to make Kwara a melting point for sports development while commending Milo for its commitments to Youth development.

He opined that his led commission will formulate policies and programmes to make life meaningful for sports men and women, investors and call on stakeholders to join his led administration in the quest to create a lasting legacy for Sports Project in the state.

Others at the visit were Monday Nelson, Vice President, Nigeria School Sport Federation, Alhaji Shola Sheu (Director, Kwara Sports Commission), Oladayo Oke (Official Milo Nestle), Bello Azeez (Secretary, Kwara State Basketball Association), Ahmed Adebayo (Head of School Sports, Kwara Sport Commission), and Bolaji Lawal.

The Indoor Hall of the Kwara Stadium, Ilorin is venue for the central Conference of the 22nd Milo Secondary School Basketball Championship with Schools from Nasarawa, Kebbi, Sokoto, Kaduna, FCT, Kwara, Niger, Benue and Plateau all participating.

Match Day 1 Results:

Boys Category

Niger 22-24 Benue
Kwara 27-19 Nasarawa

Girls Category

Sokoto 14-32 Nasarawa
Kwara 10-26 FCT
Benue 26-17 Kaduna

The Ministry of Youth and Sports Development says it has a duty to approach the Federal Government to reconsider Nigeria’s withdrawal from international basketball, but if only there are improvements on the state of the game and unity amongst stakeholders.

Last Wednesday, the Federal Government’s decision to have Nigeria withdraw from international basketball for two years was announced, as the Ministry promised to work aucidiously to return the game to the top.

Issues ranging from leadership instability, dissatisfaction amongst players, stagnancy of the local league amongst other serious concerns led to the decision.

A source said, “We have tried in several ways to solve this crisis in the fight for administration in the interest of all parties and players but we discovered that the more we tried, the lower we sunk. There were disruptive protests, we didn’t have a league, players were suffering, something drastic needed to be done.”

In a bid to kickstart the restoration process, the Ministry said an Interim Management Committee will be set up to pilot affairs for a period.

In a related development, the Sports Ministry has rolled out plans for it to begin its grassroots development programmes with a zonal secondary championship in June, across all the geo-political zones of the country leading to a national championships in Lagos or Abuja.

Kwara Falcons Basketball Club will begin the second phase of the Mark D Ball Championship tagged “Sweet Sixteen” with a clash against Civil Defenders on Sunday at the Indoor Sport Hall of the package B stadium, Abuja.

Having won five, lost two of the seven group games to place third in the first phase, Coach Baba Jubril tutored side have been drawn alongside Nigeria Civil Defense (NSCDC), Suleja Bull Dogs and FCT Hard rockets in Group D of the second tie of the tournament.

The Championship tip off on Saturday but Falcons will take to the court on Sunday against Defenders by 5pm with games against FCT Hardrockets and Suleja Bull Dogs to follow on Monday and Tuesday respectively where the top two teams in all four groups advances to the Elite Eight.

The Organising Committee of Mark D Ball Basketball Championship has announced that the round of 16 will be played between May 7 -10, 2022 at the MKO Abiola Stadium, Abuja.

Bolaji Lawal

Media Manager, Kwara Falcons