Basketball

How Passion For Basketball Took Away My Goalkeeping Skills-Engr. Kida

Published

4 years ago

August 19, 2021

NBBF Caretaker Chairman Engineer Ahmadu Musa Kida has revealed that his love for basketball took over his goalkeeping skills.

Kida who made this revelation while answering questions on the Personality Interview Segment of the FCT Football Updates virtual platform, said as a child, he was good in playing the game with his hands, which presumably may have led to his abandoning goalkeeping in football for basketball.

Quoting his words, Kida said ” as every Nigerian child, we started playing from the streets, and I was good with playing with my hands which eventually led me to be a goalkeeper. But, when I entered the secondary school, I reverted to basketball, from there my love for the game grew. In my form 3, I have started playing for my school team, and continue to the University level and thereafter”. He said that he represented the country twice at the World University Games, before graduating from the University.

He said that his love for pushed him into contesting for the various Board elections of the Rivers State Basketball Association, which cumulated into his become the Chairman of the State Basketball Association, before he emerged to represent South South in Board of the Nigeria Basketball Federation, and eventually the President of the Federation.

Ahmadu Musa Kida is a Nigerian engineer hails from Borno State in Nigeria . He was the Deputy Managing Director, Deep Water Services, of Total Nigeria, until he voluntarily retired in the year 2020 and was also the president of the Nigerian Basketball Federation, ( 2017 – 2021) .

Kida received his degree in civil engineering from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, in 1984. He obtained a postgraduate diploma in petroleum engineering from the Institut Francaise du Petrol (IFP) in Paris.

He started his career as a professional at ELF Petroleum Nigeria as a trainee engineer and materials coordinator. He joined Total Exploration & Production Nigeria in 1985 and has over 32 years’ experience in the Oil and Gas industry.

Ahmadu Musa Kida was appointed the Deputy Managing Director of TEPNG Deepwater District as well as on the Board member of Total Upstream Companies in Nigeria on August 01, 2015.

Kida became a member of the Total E&P Nigeria board in 2014 as executive director for the Port Harcourt district.

In August 2015, Kida was appointed as the deputy managing director of the Deepwater district in Lagos.

He attended several professional courses that includes the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Harvard Business School both in the USA.

He is a member of Society of Petroleum Engineers International, a chartered Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) as well as a registered Member of the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN).

He is the Caretaker Chairman of the Board of Nigerian Basketball Federation (NBBF), following the dissolution of his elected Board in 2021.

Share on Facebook

Basketball

Bauchi FA Chairman Patrick Pascal Honoured at Be Happy Basketball Tournament

Published

2 months ago

January 21, 2025

The Gleamer

Bauchi State Football Association Chairman, Patrick Pascal, was honored at the recently concluded Be Happy Basketball Tournament in Bauchi. The annual event, sponsored by former basketball international Danjuma Maijama’a Wunti, brought together over 13 basketball teams from across Nigeria for a week of exciting competition.

The 2025 edition of the tournament saw Suns Basketball Academy of Jos emerge as champions, clinching the top prize of ₦500,000. Adamawa Stars of Yola finished second, while Mak-Town Flyers of Makurdi claimed third place, earning ₦200,000 for their efforts.

Several standout players received individual accolades:

•   Most Valuable Player (MVP): Rayyan Salis (Suns Basketball Academy, Jos).
•   Most Improved Player: Modupe Lawrence (Mak-Town Flyers, Makurdi).
•   Best Defensive Player: Thomas Abo (Mak-Town Flyers, Makurdi).
•   Highest Scorer: Rayyan Salis (Suns Basketball Academy).
•   Best 3-Point Shooter: Solomon Iliya (Be Happy Stars, Bauchi).

Teams from across Nigeria took part, including Maktown Flyers (Makurdi), Joe Geez (Jos), Adamawa Stars (Yola), Gamji (Maiduguri), Elite Basketball Club (Takum), Suns Basketball Academy (Jos), Abba Gida Gida (Kano), Katsina United (Katsina), D Block Basketball Club (Kaduna), Yankari Kings (Bauchi), The Cubs Basketball Club (Bauchi), and Be Happy Stars (Bauchi).

Speaking on his recognition, Patrick Pascal expressed gratitude to the tournament sponsor, Danjuma Maijama’a Wunti, for his commitment to youth empowerment and development through sports. He praised the players for their remarkable display of skill and teamwork throughout the competition, highlighting the event’s importance in fostering talent and unity.

The Be Happy Basketball Tournament continues to grow in stature as a major platform for discovering and nurturing basketball talent across Nigeria.

Share on Facebook