‘NBBF Not Doing Enough For Basketballers’

Players at the Zenith Bank Female Basketball League finals in Lagos have urged the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) to attach more importance to their welfare.

Some of the players in separate interviews said that the federation should carry out an upward review of their allowances to boost their morale.

Chika Ogboke of Sunshine Angels of Akure complained that the allowances’ being paid to them by the NBBF was not commensurate to the amount of work the players put in.

She called on the federation to package its programme in a manner that would entice viable investors to boost the profile of the game in the country.

“If only the federation would take the necessary steps to repackage the sport, basketball would be more attractive to investors.

“The reorganisation must start with player’s welfare because they are the ones doing the hardwork,” she said.

Queen Nwaigwu of FCT Angels attributed the three successive defeats the team had suffered to lack of funds.

“We could not make it to the competition early enough because of money and had to pay the price,” Nwaigwu said.

She added that if the NBBF had been up and doing, teams would not suffer from undue logistical inadequacies.

Nwaigwu stressed the need for adequate compensation for players plying their trade in the league in order to reduce the recurring incidence of players travelling out of the country to seek greener pastures.

Reacting in a similar manner, Helen Akindele of AHIP Queens of Kano complained that the NBBF was not doing enough for clubs in the league.

Akindele said that the reason why the likes of Angola and Senegal remain the leading basketball countries in Africa was because they invested so much in their players and coaches.

“And to whom much is given much is expected as a result their players would not have any cause to complain,” Akindele said.

Bolum Ogoh of Delta Force of Asaba also said the federation should rebrand the league so that teams could reap the attendant benefits.

“I can’t wait to see our story changing, where a basketball player could boast of N50, 000 match allowances.

“With such an incentive in place, those who still want to improve on their education could still go back to school,” she said.