By Silvernews Sports
Basketball associations in the North-West have commended the leadership of Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) President, Engineer Musa Kida, for placing Nigerian basketball on the international map, while urging the incoming administration to sustain the momentum and strengthen grassroots development.
Speaking after the NBBF Extraordinary Congress in Yola, Adamawa State, their spokesman, Ahmed Tijjani, who spoke on behalf of the North-West basketball stakeholders, described the congress as well coordinated and called for continuity in the development of the game.
Tijjani said the incoming leadership should pay particular attention to young players by expanding basketball to schools and age-grade competitions.
Our prayer is that the new leadership will take basketball to higher levels, especially to involve the young ones, to take them away from vices and drugs and keep them off the streets,” he said.
According to him, basketball remains an important platform for youth development and talent discovery, stressing that greater investment in grassroots competitions would help produce more players for Nigeria’s national teams.
As a region, we want to get basketball to every level and every age-grade level so we can engage these kids. We want to be able to produce players for the national team because, as it is now, we need to do more as far as tournaments and competitions are concerned,” Tijjani said.
He also called for increased participation of girls in basketball across the North-West, saying school-level programmes should accommodate both boys and girls while taking cultural and religious considerations into account.
We have to do more. That is why we are taking basketball to age-grade levels and school levels. It will involve boys and girls, definitely, while addressing the cultural and religious concerns,” he added.
Kida Put Nigerian Basketball On Global Map
Tijjani described Kida’s eight-year tenure as a significant period for Nigerian basketball, saying the outgoing NBBF president had helped raise the profile of the sport internationally.
Engineer Musa Kida has put Nigerian basketball on the international stage and he has put us on the map globally,” he stated.
He urged the incoming president to build on the foundation laid by Kida and work with experienced stakeholders to further advance the sport.
I think the new president should try and do more and work with Engineer Musa Kida to take basketball even further. We would all agree with me that Engineer Musa Kida made a lot of sacrifices to get basketball to where it is today,” he said.
On the NBBF election, Tijjani urged all contestants to present their programmes and manifestos directly to delegates and explain their plans for the development of basketball.
“It is time for the contestants to sell themselves to the delegates, to tell the delegates exactly what they want to do for basketball and to present their manifestos,” he said.
He also advocated stronger welfare arrangements for basketball veterans, including health insurance and other support schemes, stressing that former administrators and stakeholders should continue to receive support after leaving active roles in the sport.
