D’Tigers camp will open on Saturday, 20, August in Abidjan as the team starts preparation for window four of the 2023 FIBA World Cup qualifiers. The team’s head coach, Mike Brown, disclosed this became necessary to address the slow starts in the first two windows when the team lost to Cape Verde.

Disclosing this to the Nigeria Basketball Federation media department on Wednesday, Brown said knowing the task ahead in its quest to qualify for the world cup, the team needs to get more training under their belt before they face host- Cote d’Ivoire on Friday, 26 at the 3,500 capacity Palais des Sports Treichville.

“We are trying to get there earlier to see whether we can have a few more practices to see whether we can get ready to perform at a little higher level in game one. In the last window, things were put together at the last second and we went there right before the first game”.

He is optimistic that early preparation will make a difference when his players step on the court for their first game.

“Hopefully, with us getting there a little earlier, getting three or four practices under our belt, it will show a little bit of difference when it comes to playing the games”, Brown said.

Currently fourth on the table, D’Tigers will play its opener against host- Cote d’Ivoire on Friday, 26 before facing Guinea a day after. On Sunday, 28 August, the team will square up against Angola. The 2023 world cup takes place from 25 August to 10 September in Japan, Indonesia, and the Philippines.

Signed

NBBF Media Department

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.

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.

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.

For the past 30months FIBA is still studying the final draft constitution submitted by the stakeholders from Nigeria.

Meanwhile, it empowered its surrogates in Nigeria and they have gone for the overkill of anyone suspected of not being in their camp.

International and national referees were barred from officiating and some call ups for international duties were stopped.

Technical Commissioners and Statisticians suffered the same fate. Coaches were discarded like used pure water sachets.

Kwese league teams continuously had a sword of Damocles hanging over their heads and some got numerous letters threatening to ban them.

League teams became persona non grata at the National stadiums in Lagos and Abuja.

Teams could not use Rowe Park or Teslim Balogun sports-hall all because one power drunk man was empowered by FIBA by one vague comment that they continuously refused to clarify.

Are stakeholders aggrieved against Kida? Ask google! The Kida ill advised policy of exclusion of some stakeholders from anything basketball is the greatest injustice meted on innocent game officials and players.

NOC, please rise to your responsibility and redeem your image before the federations in Nigeria.

FIBA requested you broker peace and for almost 8 months the erstwhile Tunde Popoola refused to do anything or convey a peace meeting.

Take over the process today otherwise the courts in Switzerland would render you completely impotent.

FIBA, you cannot force a federation of your choice on any country in the world. This can only happen in Nigeria and it is doomed to fail no matter for how long you prop it up.

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