Basketball
Basketball Ban: The Skies Are Bright Again
By Akeem Busari
It was with untold happiness and joy that stakeholders and enthusiasts of basketball received the news of Nigeria’s return to the international basketball community, following the official announcement by the Federal Government through the Ministry of Sports, Thursday morning in Abuja.
The decision of the Federal Government through the sports ministry to unban Nigeria have equally been generating varied opinions and importantly, the views have been somewhat akin to moving from gloom to boom.
Retracing the unhealthy and induced crises that eventually led to the unfortunate ban placed by the government on international basketball would always evoke sadness in the hearts of players, officials and genuine stakeholders of the game in Nigeria and diaspora.
The ban has denied our girls who recorded a 3-peat Afrobasket title from participating in the Women’s Basketball World Cup slated for September in Australia. However, many stakeholders are willing to look beyond the unfortunate happenstances, as Nigeria’s Men’s national team can still compete against continental and global opponents for honours in forthcoming championships.
At this point we must be quick to commend the President Muhammadu Buhari and the Ministry of Sports, through the Minister of Sports, Chief Sunday Dare, for choosing to recognise the negative consequences of the ban would have on the game and of course, the millions of restive, but talented youths who are keen to eke a living from the game.
It is equally worthy to commend the embattled President of NBBF, Engr. Ahmadu Musa Kida, for his thoughtfulness, selflessness, humility and uncommon patriotism throughout the basketball turbulence. The decision to make an unveiled appeal on behalf of the NBBF board to President Muhammadu Buhari, through the Ministry of Sports, is the hallmark of a great statesman.
The promise by the NBBF to make amends to contentious parts of its constitution is expected to pave ways for further betterment of the game in Nigeria.
Without a doubt, the skies are bright again for Nigeria basketball. This is a victory for all genuinely concerned stakeholders in the future fortunes of the game in Nigeria.
Basketball
Fresh Ideas, Science Needed to Revitalise Basketball —ABA
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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