Our Stand!

The decision of the Federal Government of Nigeria to withdraw its national teams from participating from all international basketball competitions for two years, as announced by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, came to us as a shock.

The announcement, was made amidst preparations by both the D’Tigers and D’Tigresses for their upcoming engagements, in the near future.

The taciturn and equanimous posture of our board was to get more facts, as to why the Federal Government took this painful decision, without applying any form of anaesthesia.

That said, it is an open secret that some selfish individuals have within the years held the game of basketball and sporting authorities in Nigeria to ransom, as they constantly rellied on the global body FIBA to bully Nigeria and cow the NBBF to do their bidding – tantrums the federal government and sports ministry were made to tolerated for so long.

Now, the disqualification of Rivers Hoopers from participating at the ongoing BAL Championship is one of the many examples of the acts of indiscretion, sabotage and self-centerdness, perpetuated by Engr. Musa Kida and his group, against the nation and Nigerian basketball.

Futhermore, the repeated claims that the NBBF has a FIBA reconginsed consistution is another big lie being told over and over again, by these mischief makers, whose only interest is to milk the game without adding value to it, or develop the domestic aspect of the game.

To set the record straight, the Ministry of Youth and Sports dessolved all federation boards, including the NBBF that had Engr. Musa Kida as the President, prior to the Olympics in Tokyo Japan.

Consequently, Engr.Kida was appointed Caretaker Chairman of the NBBF (A position that ought to have been an abberation to the much touted NBBF Consistution).

It is on record that Engr. Kida did not contest his new role, neither did FIBA threatened Nigeria with a ban. The question remains, why the silence from Engr. Kida and FIBA?

Approbating and Reprobating is an unpardonable sin in our legal jurisprudence. This inconsistent attitude of these individuals is the more reason why we the critical stakeholders of basketball in Nigeria need to support the decision of the Federal Government, to deal with these individuals and their entitlement mentality.

The New Face of Basketball, including the players, coaches, referees, and commissioners have resolved to allign ourselves with the programmes of the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development in its quest to develop the game, especially at the grassroots and Secondary Schools.

This is the core mandate of the New Face of Basketball.

Signed
Mark Igoche