Basketball

I AM USING BASKETBALL TO PROMOTE PEACE AND UNITY IN JOS, Sam Oguche

Published

6 years ago

November 21, 2020

By Akin Bolarinwa

The founder of Sam Oguche Basketball Foundation, Samuel Oguche has stated the reason behind the launch of the J-town Basketball Peace tournament holding next year in Jos, Plateau state.

Speaking from his base in the United Kingdom, Oguche opined that the Jos town basketball tournament is part of his own little way of giving back to the Nigerian kids and Africa as a whole.

After more than seven years of helping Nigerian youths through basketball empowerment, Oguche said the trip to Jos is to create awareness for the game and also an avenue to discover, nurture and mould career for young dunkers.

Samuel Oguche says “A week-long tournament which is scheduled for 8th to 15th of January 2021 is targeted at taking the kids off the street and educating them on how to play safe and stay safe on and off the basketball court”.

The Azi Iyako youth center will host the J-town basketball peace tournament.

“The aim of the tournament is to take kids off the streets and give them moral education ”

“Basketball clinic, music, and dance performances would be unleashed during the tournament”. Oguche stated.

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Basketball

Fresh Ideas, Science Needed to Revitalise Basketball —ABA

Published

5 days ago

September 27, 2026

The Gleamer

Cyril Ogar

President/Founder, Amateur Basketball Academies, ABA, Aliyu Lucky Abubakar has called for a scientific and pragmatic approach to rediscovering the game of basketball in the North East.

The former player of many teams in Nigeria stated this on Saturday during training of coaches in Yola, Adamawa State.

Aliyu said the training is aimed to arm Coaches so they can, in turn, reach the children, especially those that ABA may not. The Deputy Comptroller in Nigeria Customs Service decried non-challant attitudes of the stakeholders in the development of basketball in the North East.

” Basketball is fading in the North East, and we at ABA will not allow it to die.”

“Adamawa was once a force in the game of basketball but had fallen behind. Our plan is to discover talent through coaching training, nurture it, and carry it from state level to the national team, and eventually, the global stage.” The basketball administrator said.

In his keynote message to the participants, which centered on the theme, “HOPE,” Harnessing opportunity, Organising for excellence, Promoting players’ development, and Empowering the next generation, Aliyu said, is far more than a drill instructors.

” Every child you see on a basketball court has a dream, and it is our job as a coach to spot it early and give it somewhere to go.” He concluded.

In his lecture titled, ” Who is a Coach”, Emmanuel Odah, the head Coach, FCT Basketball and former National Juniors team, described a coach as a committed, organised, affectionate, caring and humble.

” Commitment is consistency, and consistency is mother of progress; humility comes first because a coach who can not control himself can never control a game,” Odah insisted.

Other instructors at the training include ABA head of technical, Coach Adeka Daudu, as well as Coach Alexander Anyebe Ujoh, who spoke about the relationship between a coach and child in his care.

Coaches at the training commended ABA for its boldness to give hopes to basketball coaches all over the country. They promised that lessons learned would reshape and reset their mind on the job. They said the training will help them in understanding their role not only as an instructor but also grooming the children for a better future.

Among guests at the event include FCT Acting Director of Sports, Mr. Iyiola Ogundele and Bayelsa Veteran Basketball administrator, Coach Tony

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