Sports
NBBF President Laments Legal Encumbrances On B’Ball
The President of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF), Mr Musa Kida, has lamented the “legal encumbrances” that had held back a robust National Premier League for men in the country.
A statement yesterday, made available by Afolabi Oni, Board Member (NBBF) on Media, quoted Kida as saying that for the past three years the federation had been at the centre of a legal tussle.
The President said that a country with huge potentials in basketball like Nigeria should have a highly competitive men’s basketball league that would afford players, coaches and officials a chance to develop their skills.
According to him, having acquired a N150 million sponsorship deal from Total Nigeria for the leagues in Divisions One and Two, “organising a robust premier league will never have been a problem but for the legal encumbrances”.
“They handcuffed us and slapped us and we cannot cry. We are legally stopped from having that league. The sad part of this is that the Kwese League Management Board, under Olamide Oyedeji, and Gombe Bulls, took us to court to stop us from running a league.
“These are people who, over the years claim to have the interest of developing Nigeria’s home grown basketball at heart,” Kida said .
Kida said pledging their love and promotion of basketball, while stopping thousands of stakeholders from playing basketball at the highest level was hard to reconcile, as the action has stopped clubs from playing and players from earning a living.
“To (also) stop coaches from improving themselves and stop many clubs from continental and global representation all in the name of politics, it does not add up,” Kida said.
In our quest to ensure that basketball players in the premier league get engaged, Kida said, “I, as President, decided to have a champion for Nigeria.
“I had proposed continental participation without a sponsor and went ahead to organise what we called President Cup for all the clubs that were in the premier league. This would give them a chance to play, while we try to vacate the injunction in court
“We organised the President’s Cup, some clubs did not come but most of them participated, and I was personally cited for contempt”, after these same people who took us to court in the first instance, made a submission to the court that we were trying to circumvent the injunction by doing a President’s Cup.
Kida also said that he believed Nigeria should have a lot of championships, which should never stop the Premier Basketball from going on.
The Bayelsa State government, yesterday, announced that the marathon will be held on Saturday, April 4, 2026.
The inaugural race is owned by the Bayelsa State Government and will be organised by Nilayo Sports Management Limited, a sports management company.
Under the theme “The Reveal,” the race represents a bold unveiling of Bayelsa’s immense human and cultural potential to the international community, inviting the world to witness the resilience, grit, and talent rooted in the heart of the Niger Delta.
According to the organisers, the race will be flagged off at 9:30 a.m., at the Opolo Roundabout, guiding participants through a carefully designed 10-kilometre route that highlights the scenic beauty and vibrant atmosphere of Yenagoa.
The course will culminate at Peace Park Square, where athletes will cross the finish line into a grand celebration of endurance, unity, and community spirit.
To elevate the experience for runners and spectators alike, the finish venue will host a high-energy post-race concert featuring performances from top A-list artistes, blending sport and entertainment in a festival-style atmosphere.
The organisers directed all registered participants to collect their race bibs and kits at the designated Peace Park Square between March 30 and April 3, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily.
The race, according to them, is currently on track for World Athletics accreditation, underscoring the commitment of both the Bayelsa State Government and Nilayo Sports Management Limited to delivering an event that meets the highest global standards.
The Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Bukola Olopade, on Friday continued the Commission’s nationwide appreciation tour with a visit to Abeokuta, where outstanding junior athlete, Majekodunmi Afusat Bisola, was presented with a cheque of N3 million.
The presentation forms part of the NSC’s initiative to recognise and reward exceptional junior athletes who distinguished themselves in 2025 and contributed significantly to Nigeria’s medal haul.
Majekodunmi delivered an impressive run of performances on the track. At the last edition of the National Sports Festival, she stormed to gold in the 400m and the 4x400m relay. She replicated the double triumph at the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) Junior Championship, in Abeokuta, before emerging as one of the standout stars at the African Youth Games in Luanda, Angola.
Speaking during the presentation, Olopade explained that the Commission deemed it necessary to extend financial appreciation to grassroots athletes after elite performers had earlier received grants running into thousands of dollars.
“A few weeks ago, after paying grants to our elite athletes, we agreed tthere was a need to also appreciate these young, budding talents who made Nigeria proud last year,” he said.
He disclosed that of the 376 medals recorded by Nigerian athletes in 2025, more than 200 were won by grassroots talents, underscoring the importance of sustained investment in youth development.