Basketball

Time to Reposition NBBF for Greater Growth, Says Abdullahi Campaign

Published

2 weeks ago

September 20, 2026

Cyril Ogar
The campaign in support of Dr. Mustapha Abdullahi for the presidency of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) has called for a fresh beginning and comprehensive repositioning of Nigerian basketball, emphasizing the need for leadership driven by innovation, competence, institutional discipline and a clear national vision.

In a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja by the Dr Abdullahi Mustapha Campaign Organization (DAMCO) media stated that, the campaign believes that Nigerian basketball is at a point where the federation requires a broader leadership approach capable of connecting the sport with corporate investment, international partnerships, youth development, education and the wider Nigerian economy.

“Nigerian basketball does not need leadership for the sake of leadership. It needs a paradigm shift. It needs innovation without losing institutional discipline,” the campaign said.

According to the statement, one of Dr. Abdullahi’s strengths is that he brings experience from outside the traditional political structure of the federation while possessing an understanding of basketball and institutional management.“Sometimes, institutions need someone who understands the system without being imprisoned by its history,” the statement noted.

The campaign also highlighted Dr. Abdullahi’s international exposure and engagements across government, academia, business, energy and international institutions, describing these networks as potential assets in attracting partnerships and investment into Nigerian basketball.

“A president of the NBBF should be able to open doors, attract partners and make Nigerian basketball visible in rooms where decisions and investments are made,” the statement said.
Dr. Abdullahi’s relationship with basketball, the campaign stressed, predates the current electoral process.

He has been involved with the sport as a player and enthusiast and has, over the years, supported basketball development, including sponsorship of the annual DAM Foundation Basketball event in Okene, Kogi State.

The statement also referenced his wider youth development activities, including scholarships, skills development, fellowship programmes, empowerment initiatives and community engagement, arguing that sustainable basketball development must be connected to opportunities for young people.

“The young player in a neighbourhood court does not care about federation politics. He wants a pathway. The talented teenager wants an opportunity. The coach wants support. The professional player wants a functioning system,” the campaign stated.

It added that women’s basketball deserves greater investment and visibility, while clubs and administrators require stronger structures that allow competence and professionalism to thrive.
The campaign further described Dr. Abdullahi as a leader capable of building bridges among basketball stakeholders, government, businesses and international partners.

“The NBBF does not need a president who only occupies an office. It needs a president who can build consensus around a national basketball vision and bring repositioning,” the statement said.

While acknowledging the value of experience within the existing basketball administration, the campaign maintained that experience should be complemented by competence, vision, integrity, innovation and the capacity to deliver.

The statement described Dr. Abdullahi as “a genuine basketball enthusiast, a technically accomplished professional, an experienced institutional manager, a globally exposed Nigerian and a youth-focused leader” with the capacity to contribute to a new direction for Nigerian basketball.

The campaign concluded with a call for a leadership approach that places development, opportunity and institutional growth at the center of the NBBF’s agenda.

“Results are not products of familiarity but products of capacity and competencies. The NBBF needs a paradigm shift. It needs fresh thinking backed by proven competence,” the statement concluded.

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Basketball

Fresh Ideas, Science Needed to Revitalise Basketball —ABA

Published

4 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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