Basketball

NBBF Accuses FIBA, Of Destroying Nigeria Basketball

Published

4 years ago

April 12, 2022

…Urges Sports Ministry to come clean on NBBF Crisis

By Joel Ajayi

The Ogoche Mark led Nigeria Basketball Federation NBBF President has accused the International Basketball Federation FIBA of attempting to destroy the game of basketball in Nigeria.

Speaking at a media parley held on Tuesday in Abuja where stakeholders in numbers promised to ensure the right thing is done to save lives of basketball.

The NBBF President Ogoche Mark said, the gathering of stakeholders is for the interest of basketball, saying all hands must be on desk to rescue the soul of basketball from a set of selfish people who have hijacked the game.

“I believe the minister and the ministry have the best interest of the basketball game at heart. They know the right thing to do and I believe they will do it.

“But it is time they all come out and specifically say something and do what is right about what we have on ground now,” he said.

While the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development has since acknowledged that two elections indeed took place, it has also stated that it was looking into all the issues involved.

“The minister has said the ministry was aware there were two elections, and that they would look into the issue and come out with a position. But I wonder why this has been taking too long.

“We have had several forms of communication with them, in terms of physical engagements and correspondences, and I think we should know where we are by now,” Mark said.

“Enough is enough. We should by now be delivering on our promise to the Nigerian basketball family, and there should be no going back and forth,” he added.

The NBBF president said he and his board members had planned that by now they should have moved far into their plans for the game and other activities for the year.

“But here we are still talking about the crisis in the federation. I think we should have moved beyond this by now. And, I do believe we should all rise together to bring basketball out of the situation we are presently in.”

He stated that the basketball sport has witnessed a lamentable situation in the last four to five years in Nigeria, with decline setting into the game because of the prolonged crisis.

“It should not be about the World or African Championship or the Olympics we have been attending, but about a united home front, about the domestic game, about grassroots development and about the players.

“And this is why I am standing with the players, in their call for a crisis-free Nigerian game. They are the mainstay of our sport and they have been abandoned and neglected for long.

“They must therefore be listened to, and they are saying they want to play the game. I don’t think that is too much for them to ask,” Mark said.

He assured that NBBF under his leadership would not be distracted and would be focused on how to develop the game in the country, especially from the grass roots.

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Basketball

Fresh Ideas, Science Needed to Revitalise Basketball —ABA

Published

7 days ago

September 27, 2026

The Gleamer

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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