Joel Ajayi
The Federal Government has revealed that, the development of basketball in the country now lies in the hands of the newly Inaugurated Nigeria Basketball Federation NBBF.

Minister of Youth and Sports Development Sunday Dare stated this on Thursday at Moshood Abiola National stadium Abuja during the Inauguration of the Engr Musa Kida-led Board of NBBF for 4 years term.

According to him, the task of developing Basketball under your watch, now lies squarely on your shoulders. Therefore, team work. understanding and cooperation are sine qua non to achieving the Board’s goals and objectives.

“The Federal Ministry of Sports and Youth Development having note the situation around the Nigeria Basketball Federation, has approved the NBBF Elective Congress of January 31st, 2022 and the outcome of its Board’s election.

“By this development the Engr. Musa Ahmadu Kida led NBBF Board, will hereby and henceforth receive the recognition and support of the Federal Government for all of its activities. I wish to reiterate that this Board is the only recognised one for the administration of Basketball in Nigeria.

“The future of Basketball for the next 4 years is now in your hands and posterity will judge you after four years on how you have positively or otherwise impacted on Basketball in Nigeria.

“As you may be, the Federal Ministry of Sports and Youth Development’s core mandates are focused on Sports and Youth development through the establishment of a conducive environment where the new National Sports Industry Policy will be implemented without hindrance.

“This Ministry, as the Government Agency responsible for Sports, is a critical Stakeholder in Basketball and will monitor very closely the activities of the Board, to ensure that they are in sync with Government national policy, Government extant regulations and the Code of Governance for National Sports Federations.”

In his remark, the President of NBBF Engr. Musa Kida promised to run an all inclusive Federation and work with every genuine stakeholder that wants to be on this journey to further glory.

“We, as a board, are indeed very happy and grateful that the Ministry has acknowledged and approved the outcome of the NBBF Elective Congress which took place in Benin, Edo State, on the 31st of January, 2022. This has proved that we have exercised due diligence in adhering to the Ministry’s Code of Governance guiding the activities of all “sports Federations and to the 2019 approved NBBF statutes.

“With great humility, we acknowledge the bitter rivalry that existed leading to the elections, which has created a very unhealthy atmosphere for the development of the game of basketball. 

“This situation is truly not pleasant for us, as we need every critical stakeholder on Board for all to be able to contribute his or her own best to the growth and development of the game. Realizing this fact is the reason why we have quickly constituted a reconciliation committee which will reach out to every aggrieved person with the sole aim of bringing such person(s) back to the family. We need everyone to be on Board. We pray that all will cooperate with the Committee for the good of the game.

“We also recognize the importance of the Ministry’s code of Governance for all Sports Federations and the 2019 approved NBBF Statutes. The statutes, as it were, may not be perfect. In fact we all know that no constitution is ever perfect. That is why they are subjected to periodic amendments to capture the needs of all as time evolves. We are not oblivious of this fact, and this is why we have accepted to amend the existing 2019 NBBF approved Statutes, taking into consideration the various recommendations we have received and will receive from more stakeholders that will be compiled, reviewed and presented to the congress for amendments in December, 2022, at the Federation’s Annual General Assembly.

“With our inauguration today, we will go about the task of uniting the Basketball Family, to the best of our ability, ensure the development of the game of Basketball from the grassroot to the national scene, regain our dominance on the African continent and return to the global stage better than where we were.
“We want to restate our commitment to the growth, development and stability of Basketball in Nigeria. We will run an all inclusive Federation and work with every genuine stakeholder that wants to be on this journey to further glory.”

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