Sports
House Committee Assures NBBS On Funds Release
The Chairman, House of
Representatives’ Committee on Sports, Godfrey Gaiya, has assured the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) that funds appropriated to it in the 2014 budget would be released.
Gaiya gave the assurance at the opening ceremony of the 2015 NBBF Stakeholders and Consultative Forum/Pre-Season Seminar in Abuja.
He said the Committee would ensure that what was allocated to the NBBF was released for it to carry out its programmes.
“During the 2012 Sports Summit, it was agreed that some particular sports be given leverage due to their performances, and one of them was basketball.
“This is in recognition of basketball’s position in the country, and that position must be matched with actions by providing the needed funds and other things.
“I was surprised when I was informed that the budgeted allocation had not been released to the federation.
“But what I was made to understand was that the fourth quarter release of some ministries had not been released. But now, we are sure that this will be given.
“We are going to see to it that what is meant for basketball is given to it,’’ Gaiya said.
Speaking earlier, NBBF President, Tijani Umar, had bemoaned the fact that the federation lacks a befitting office, saying it was affecting morale and slowing down the federation’s partnership management.
Umar called on the National Sports Commission (NSC) to show the federation the plot of land allocated to it by the former Minister of Sports, Bolaji Abdullahi.
“When you have a vision and plan to execute it, if you don’t have a befitting office, there is no way you can have the number of staff to execute the vision.
“You cannot bring your partners to meet with you and you cannot convince your sponsors that you are a serious federation worthy of doing business with.
“We have got a commitment from the former minister which is binding. Therefore, all we need is for the NSC to show us the land to build our office.
“Once we show the land to people who want to help us, we are sure of getting money from them to start work on the office project.
“It is all about determination, if we have the land, the Nigerian Basketball House will be built. For example, the Football House is up now and I think the house is befitting,’’ Umar said.
The NBBF president said another challenge hindering the federation’s performance was that of qualitative facilities to raise the standard of the game.
“We need a standard FIBA-approved basketball floor and scoreboard for national and international competitions.
“As a result, our chance of hosting any international tournament has reduced, while the work of bringing our national teams to camp to play and practise at home before our fans is not possible,’’ he said.
Umar said Nigerian basketball stakeholders must provide an enabling environment for investors to key into.
“The regular reference to the private sector to be the driver of growth of our sports sector is very hollow.
“Stakeholders should not abandon their responsibility of creating an enabling environment to attract investors. “When you don’t have a good product to exchange for investment and sponsorship, no one will answer your calls,’’ he said.
A well-known football pundit in the State, Chief Christopher Okonkwo has lauded the efforts and vision of the Super Eagles Coach Eric Chelle for going from one venue of the Nigeria Domestic Nigeria Professional Football League match to the other in monitoring Nigerian players, with a view to invite some exceptional good one discovered into the main stream of the Super Eagles team.
Okonkwo, who made the commendation in an interview at the Port Harcourt Club recently, described the positive move by Coach Chelle as a good step in the right direction, noting that the practice was how its been done in the past among any contracted coach assigned to tinker the Super Eagles team.
“Truly, it has been an old tradition in the country seeing any newly engaged Coach to lead the National team, visiting some our Nigeria League venues during the league matches to spot light some good talents that could be used to beef up some grey areas in the department of Eagles team”
He, however, frowned at the current situation where our coaches had continously been over depending on the use of foreign based players during invitation of players to the National camp, thereby, relegating the domestic home based league players to the background as if they have nothing much to offer to the team.
“I can vividly recall that the likes of great players in the mode of Finidi George, Taribo West, Kanu Nwankwo, Austin Okocha, Richard Owobokiri, Emmanuel Osuigwe among others started from Nigeria football league before they graduated to play in Europe through which they later invited to Super Eagles camp to represent Nigeria”
“Besides, I’m also of the view that going to secondary school football competitive games could equally serves as a a good platform to discover budding talents that could be nurtured to become great stars in near future”, Okonkwo frankly added.
Okonkwo, therefore, prayed that any football coach to be engaged by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to tinker the Super Eagles should be told not to confine himself in staying in big hotel alone but to be visiting some of our local league match venues, with a view to discover some good players that can be drafted into the Super Eagles team.
“Indeed, I stand to be challenged that there some young good players in the Nigeria Professional League. If spotted and exposed, could give the some of the invited foreign based players a stiff competitive fight in securing a postion in the team”, Okonkwo emphatically stated.
Ezechukwu, one of the youngest members of the Nigerian contingent at the championship in Ghana, said her ambition was to win the 100m title in style and cap it with a new personal record.
The fresh secondary school graduate explained that she is fully focused on contributing to Team Nigeria’s medal hopes and is determined to deliver strong performances across her events.
“My main objective in Ghana is to clinch the 100m title and the 4×100m,” Ezechukwu told Tidesports source.
“Nigeria can be assured of my very best and my commitment to the Team. I would love to set a new personal best in Ghana, but anything that comes, I will take it. The spirit in the team is high, and I think we are ready to go,” she said.
Ezechukwu, who was part of Nigeria’s women’s 4x100m relay squad at the World Relays in Botswana, said the experience gained from that competition has strengthened her mindset heading into the continental championships.
She admitted that she learned valuable lessons from her previous outing, including a difficult moment during the relay where an early error affected the team’s rhythm, but said she has used the experience to improve her discipline and composure.
“The secret is just being disciplined, training hard and trusting my coach and believing in God, and the result will show,” she added.
The teenager is part of a 41-member Nigerian team comprising 24 female and 17 male athletes competing at the championships, which begin today at the University of Ghana, Legon.
Nigeria are expected to compete across multiple track and field events as they aim for a strong finish against the continent’s elite athletes.
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