Basketball

Thank You President Buhari but the Liberation Fight is Still On…Igoche Mark

Published

3 years ago

June 26, 2022

President of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF), Mr.Igoche Mark has welcomed President Muhammadu Buhari’s decision, to rescind his earlier directive on Nigeria’s withdrawal from international basketball, for two years, as pronounced by the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development.

Reacting via a statement to Thursday’s announcement which reversed Nigeria’s self imposed ban from international basketball; Mark also conveyed his appreciation and that of his entire NBBF Board to the Sports Ministry and President Buhari for listening to the yearnings of Nigerians, especially from former international players, and key stakeholders of the game, in Nigeria and diaspora, as he insisted that his NBBF position remains unchanged.

In the statement issued on Sunday in Abuja, Mark however said he was sadned that the impasse in the NBBF, stalled the participation of D’Tigress at the upcoming FIBA Women’s World Cup in Sidney, Australia; thus making the ladies the sacrificial lamb.

He stressed that the ladies should not be made to bear the brunt of the regressive infighting, when those who had held the game down for years, and were directly responsible for the 2 years ban placed by Mr.President. Howbeit, the timely reversal by the Commander-in-Chief has resulted to a party mood, because for them,it is business as usual.

“I must commend Mr. President for lifting the ban placed on basketball, indeed it is a great joy to all of us.I also thank the Commander in Chief for listening to the cries of Nigerians, for this, I remain eternally grateful. However, I feel sad for our D’Tigress, because these ladies laboured and toiled to get the ticket but they have been replaced with Mali, and their efforts seem to have been wasted, while those that have held the game down are celebrating the President’s change of mind. Our ladies must not be the sacrificial lamb always. “Mark stated.

Mark then warned those spreading fake news that he has conceded his position as the duly elected NBBF President to Engr. Musa Kida to desist from making an already bad situation, worse.

According to him, the tenure of the former NBBF President, saw the fortunes of the country’s basketball nosedive, and stagnated to a sorry state, and whatever progress being made now in the domestic scene would not be jettisoned; so as far as he is concerned, and with the backing of key stakeholders, our ultimate goal is to see the soul of the Basketball in Nigeria rescued from shackles of doom.

“I am by this statement making a passionate appeal to all stakeholders of the game, that in accordance to the mandate given to me by genuine stakeholders of Basketball on January 31, 2022 that I remain the President of the NBBF. There was never a time that the Sports Ministry asked me to step down for anybody, besides,it is the responsibility of key basketball stakeholders to elect their NBBF President, as the seat of the NBBF President is neither by appointment nor by selection.Those spreading the fake news that I have quit my mandate as NBBF President are either enemies of our beautiful game or mischief makers. This fight is not about Igoche Mark, but it is for the liberation of basketball,and is a fight that must be won, we must stick together to be able to liberate the game from the shackles of doom. We must liberate the game from those who believe that Nigeria needs international competitions to develop our domestic game.”He stated.

Mark went on to harp that the game of basketball must be freed from those who refused to pay players their money, and from those that stopped Rivers Hoopers from participating in the second edition of BAL.

He signed off by appealling to the Sports Minister, Mr. Sunday Dare not to do the bidding of a single individual, who has repeatedly failed in his responsibilities, and still, despite this individual failed voyage,he wants to continue to kneel on the neck of the game, just for his selfish ambition.He advised the Minister not be neive or chicken hearted in dealing with the root causes of the crisis in the federation that dates back to 2013.

According to Mark, “the Sports Ministry under the leadership of Mr. Dare still has the chance to stop this absurdity being the trade mark of these individuals who have been on the board of NBBF since 1997 and are the ones responsible for all the problems in the federation since then.The soul of basketball in Nigeria must be fully liberated.”Mark concluded his statement.

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Basketball

RMAFC Reaffirms Commitment To Boost Revenue Generation From Mining Sector

Published

3 weeks ago

October 16, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

In line with its commitment to bridging the gap in the remittance of revenue generated from the mining sector into the Federation Account, the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission organised a sensitization workshop on the new template for data rendition in Enugu for the South East Zone on Thursday 16th October, 2025.

Speaking at the occasion, Chairman of the Commission Dr. Mohammed Bello Shehu reaffirmed the commitment of RMAFC to bridging the gap in the data remittance of revenue generated from the sector into the Federation Account.

“It has been established that despite the extent of activities going on in the Country’s mining sector, it contributes only a negligible amount to the Federation Account, largely due to the lack of proper and effective monitoring of mining activities. Hence, it is the intention of the RMAFC to work assiduously in order to ensure that all revenues due to the Federation Account from the mining sector are promptly remitted into the Federation’s distribution pool account as at when due.” He said.

The Chairman who was represented by the Federal Commissioner representing the Federal Capital Territory in the Commission, Ambassador Ayuba Jacob Ngbako stated that the new data rendition templates were designed to capture and manage relevant data with regards to specific measurement of quantity of minerals produced, producing companies and their locations, particular licenses, fees and permits paid by mining companies. According to him, if the data is properly managed and utilized, it will go a long way in ensuring that mining operations and revenues therefrom are effectively tracked and accounted for.

Dr. Shehu emphasized the imperativeness of the new data rendition template given the current economic difficulties the country is going through. He added that the perpetual over dependence on hydrocarbon sources of revenue, which is often plagued by the vagaries of the international oil market in addition to other reasons such as the problems of pipeline vandalism and oil theft underscores the determination of the President Bola Tinubu led administration to harness revenue potentials from other sectors of the country’s economy such as the solid minerals, agriculture, manufacturing and the blue economy.

In his goodwill message, the Executive Governor of Enugu State His Excellency Governor Peter Mbah, who was represented at the occasion by the Honourable Commissioner of Energy and Mineral resources of the state, Honourable Franklin Ogbonna described the new template as a significant step towards building a reliable framework for revenue monitoring and proper resource allocation framework. He added that accurate data is the foundation of sound policy formulation and effective revenue management. ” It enables both the Federal and State Governments to assess real production figures, close leakages, and ensure that due revenues are remitted for the benefit of all Nigerians.” He said.

The governor further said that the initiative aligns perfectly with the drive to reposition the solid minerals sector as a key contributor to the internally generated revenue and economic diversification agenda of the state.

In his welcome address, the Federal Commissioner representing Enugu State in the Commission, Honourable Ozo Obodougo Obumneme stated that the exercise was primarily aimed at ensuring the existence of a platform for independent data source for the Commission which will be free of summation errors and could be used for comparison as advanced information for attribution purposes.

The Commissioner for Solid Minerals in Ebonyi State, Honourable Onyia Emmanuel, Honourable Commissioner of Petroleum and Mineral Resources in Abia State, Prof Joel Ogbonna, Honourable Commissioner for Local Government in Anambra State, Honourable Tony Nwabuno and the Permanent Secratary Ministry of Industry, Mines and Minerals in Imo State, Mrs Obialor Angela all praised the initiative in their goodwill messages.

The sensitisation exercise scheduled to be held in the six geopolitical zones of the country, which commenced on the 7th of October 2025 in Abuja, was followed by the one organised in Asaba Delta State for the South – South region on the 13th of October, 2025.

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