Basketball

Ban All Contending Parties Killing Nigerian Basketball- Stakeholders Tells Buhari

Published

3 years ago

May 27, 2022

Concerned Basketball Stakeholders (CBS) has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to with immediate effect ban all the contending parties killing Nigerian basketball to enable the growth of the game in the country.

in an open letter signed by CBS Muhammad Sulaiman (Aka Pro Marquette) sent to President Muhammadu Buhari said that the last five years have equally witnessed an unending Basketball leadership crises with 3 different groups currently in contention urging President to ban all those people bringing crisis in the federation.

According to the open Letter, our attention has been drawn to the recent publication on open letter to President Muhammadu Buhari on the Nigeria Basketball Federation crisis. Firstly, we sincerely thank Mr. President for his bold decision to recluse Nigeria from International Basketball Competitions for two years. Though unpleasant, it is necessary. We also will like to respectfully highlight some facts on the lingering crisis in the Nigeria Basketball Federation, for Mr. President to note: 1.

“Firstly, we sincerely thank Mr. President for his bold decision to recluse Nigeria from International Basketball Competitions for two years.

“Though unpleasant, it is necessary. We also will like to respectfully highlight some facts on the lingering crisis in the Nigeria Basketball Federation, for Mr. President to note:

“Twenty two years of tussle and disagreements in the Basketball Family has all been about leadership and ego and not about developing the game. Our investigations revealed that Chief Jim Nwobodo intervened in 1997 after the 1st democratic election in Sports Federations; Omerua and Ikazabo did in 1999 and Rtd. Col. Musa Mohammed in 2004. All of them threatened drastic measures of dissolution and establishment of Interim Committee for the Sport. They never achieved except now.

“The last five years have equally witnessed an unending Basketball leadership crises with 3 different groups currently in contention.

“This circle of disruptive NBBF elections began in 2017 with 2 factions and presidents (Umar and Kida), and the climax in 2022 following the emergence of a 3rd faction with Igoche Mark as President.

“The court suspension of the National Basketball League for 3 years plus, was because of this leadership disagreements. Youthful local talents have been wasting away for years because of the dysfunctional league.

“National team Players, both Male and Female are entirely drawn from overseas including their Coaches who are all foreigners. At a time there were 10 foreign Coaches attached to our Male team. Harvesting only Nigerian professional Players overseas is not Basketball development. It must go hand in hand with grassroots and home based Players.”

The letter added that: “The unresolved boardroom crisis currently has degenerated into the polarization of National team Players (both Male and Female), and who have expressed their unwillingness to compete for Nigeria under this ugly scenario

“Multiple meetings aimed at resolving the crises have yielded no positive results.

“The Ministry and the Federal Government have been severally misrepresented many times to FIBA and the public by elements from the Kida faction who have used the well-known blackmail tool of Interference to tie Government, and make FIBA call Government a third party. By this, Nigeria’s sovereignty is being challenged and trampled upon by the NBBF gladiators who now want Government to lift the ban.

“Equally well known is that FIBA completely ignored Government’s invitation to visit Nigeria to look into the Basketball crises. The Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) was equally snubbed. 1

“Also known, is that the Ministry with the knowledge of FIBA went ahead to set up the Basketball Reconciliation Committee with membership drawn from all disputing parties. The Ministry concurred to the salient recommendations of the Committee. Notwithstanding, the crisis continued.

“Our findings also have shown that there is no NBBF money lodged in the CBN and that the only money in the NBBF account with the CBN is the “Adopt-an-Athlete” funds to the tune of US$230k, to support the 24 Basketball Players that represented the Country at the Olympics. This money has severally been confirmed, was raised by the Ministry and it was domiciled in the NBBF Domiciliary account until disbursement, and that the female Players who have submitted their bank account details have since been paid US$9,500 each last year, and pending is the male Players who are yet to submit their account details for payment.

“It is also confirmed that there is documentary evidence that this money was never diverted, as the balance to date remains in the NBBF account with CBN until disbursement.

“We are aware that from the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games participation, all athletes have been fully paid their allowances, return flight tickets (where applicable), winning bonuses, as well as their enhanced training grants (increased from 4,500 dollars to 6,000 dollars by the Federal Government), including the Male and Female Basketball Players.

“It is also known, that approval has been received for the balance of outstanding allowances, with the release of the fund being awaited while outstanding claims are being verified by both the Ministries of Finance and Youth and Sports Development.

“We note that the 2019 NBBF Constitution by Kida group remains a hot bone of contention by many segments of Basketball Stakeholders and remains at the heart of the NBBF unending leadership crisis. That same Constitution is not only alien to the Nigeria Sports culture, but is incongruous with the Constitution of other 37 National Sports Federations, and jettisons the Code of Governance of the Sports Ministry.

“Equally central to the crises is the fact that Kida was the architect of the 2019 Constitution in which he had vested interest to return as President, and went on to ensure that sections of the so-called Constitution permitted him and the Vice President to return to office without a constituency with only a voice vote of 2 persons at an Elective Congress. The same Constitution also disqualifies persons who are not resident in Nigeria for 4 consecutive years from being on the board. To a discerning mind, this obviously is targeted at creating a cult group, by eliminating some key Stakeholders that in our opinion are perhaps the most valuable resources the Country has. Obviously, this closes the door for the cream of our top athletes and managers who have retired and currently are key to the development of the game in the US and elsewhere, at a time that the FGN has set up a Diaspora Commission to enhance backward linkages not only in ideas but resources for the development of the Country. The moral question in this illegality is obvious.

“Indeed, efforts to build a national Basketball team around foreign Players and the Afrobasket victories can only be useful to the Country if carefully conceived with backward integration, to have impact on the growth of Basketball in the Country and development of the economy.”

“Open letter continues: “We acknowledge the enormous efforts of past Presidents of the Federation particularly in recent times, HRH U.K Umar and HRM The Gbong Gwom Jos, Elder Buba Gyang for their tireless efforts during their tenure at putting Basketball on a growth trajectory, that has gradually been eroded by ego parading and self-serving so-called administrators. Between these two past Presidents, they have established age group tournaments that saw Nigeria dominate African Junior Championships, win Olympic and World Cup tickets, and established highly competitive local leagues for Men and Women, from where many home grown athletes were drafted to elite leagues worldwide and colleges in the US.

“This advertorial therefore seeks to put the records straight, and in addition by asking that the FGN follow the dissolution of the board, with a ban on the key actors holding the game by the jugular over the last many years. We wish to re-affirm that Basketball is the goose that can lay the golden egg for our teeming youths, but can also with clinical and well thought out reform, provide the template for other Sports to follow so that Nigerian Youths can prosper. ” Open letter concluded.

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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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