The attention of the Friends of Basketball has been drawn to a very malicious piece titled ‘FIBA, Kida Threaten Nigeria with Basketball Ban’ and find it extremely insulting to all right thinking stakeholders who are embarrased by the needless drama. 

Why would Kida and his Board want to ridicule the Nigeria Basketball Federation and pitch his leadership and Board against the government?

To set the records straight, the latest letter from FIBA dated 18, May 2022 circulated on social media was never at the behest of the NBBF but a direct reaction to the request letter written by the Ministry to FIBA on the 12th May 2022, to withdraw Nigeria from all international basketball activities. 

Kida and his board did not write that letter it was the Ministry. So why blame Kida and co who are just bystanders like you and I?  

It was the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, without the courtesy of informing the NBBF, the only organ that FIBA relates with in Nigeria that wrote that letter referenced by FIBA.

They openly showed their might through their public press releases, videos, and pronouncements which went viral on social media, and they think that it will not get the attention of FIBA? With Igoche Mark and his group developing confidence and enjoying the support of the ministry to issue derogatory press statements against FIBA and Kida, for a process that they were not part of because they do not represent any constituency.

For students of International relations, they are aware that despite the sovereignty of nations, they are still bound by clauses of treaties and international organizations to which they belong. In this case, the Federation of International Basketball Associations (FIBA) which governs global basketball frowns at the influence of third parties, in line with Article 9.6 of FIBA General Statutes which Nigeria agreed to when it joined FIBA. NBBF or Kida did not draw those statutes for FIBA and neither was Kida or the present Board a part of drawing up the statutes. They met the statutes and must respect them.

The NBBF has no interest in seeing Nigeria thrown out of the international reckoning after years of sacrifices that have seen the D’Tigress climb to first in Africa and 14th in the world on the back of the Afrobasket treble trophy performances, qualification to the Olympics, and their unprecedented performances at the world cup in Spain. The D’Tigers too have recorded sterling achievements which started with a 2017 Afrobasket silver medal, world cup, and Olympics qualifications.

The first time Nigeria had the two teams at the Olympics and the only Federation that had its male and female teams at the Olympics for the first time in the history of Nigeria.

We make bold to say that in the last two international outings of the national teams, which are by the way a product of the hard work by NBBF over the last 4 years. The federation had to bend over backward to accommodate the Ministry of Sports in paving the way to avoid Nigeria being banned due to government interference. 

These sacrifices were made to protect Nigeria as a country, protect the players who would have been affected by the decision, and also build on the successes recorded in the last 4 years.

Dear Nigerians, we make bold to say that the Kida lead board remains committed to the development of basketball in Nigeria and the welfare of its athletes. Withdrawal from international competitions by the FG makes a joke of the millions spent by the government to qualify for the FIBA Women’s World cup. The resultant FIBA ban, as a result of the specific request by the Ministry, and that the ministry is indulging in, will make a mess of the sacrifices of our heroes and heroines who have shed sweat and blood for Nigeria to be where it is.

We, the friends of Basketball, keep wondering what the motivation is for the Ministry to keep destroying the only Sports federation that has continued to put the name of Nigeria on the global map of sports in the last four years with great results to show for it and ferociously killing the golden goose that lays the golden egg.

Why will the ministry want to hang Kida for merely forwarding the FIBA letter for their attention? 

Did they expect FIBA to ignore their affiliate member and communicate with an organ that is not their interlocutor? They should find out from all the other 40 plus Nigerian Sports federations of their international federations communicate directly with the government.

The ministry needs to truly understand the relationship between the sporting federations they supervise and their international federations.Enough of this constant blames heaped on Kida and his Board for the mess created by the Ministry and the hangers-on they are encouraging to destabilize a legally and constitutionally elected Board!A stitch in time saved nine!!

God bless Nigerian basketball.God bless Nigeria sports.God bless Nigeria.Friends of Nigeria Basketball ( FNB)

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