Sports
NBBF Passes Vote Of Confidence On Kida
The General Assembly of the Nigeria Basketball Federation has passed a vote of confidence on Engr Ahmadu Musa Kida as President of NBBF following the laudable achievements recorded under his watch since taking over in 2017.
The Annual General Assembly which had 28 out of 36 states of the Federation and the FCT in attendance unanimously passed a vote of confidence on the leadership of the NBBF alongside the board of the NBBF.
The Assembly which had the Hon. Minister of Youth and Sports, Barrister Solomon Dalung, FIBA representative, Mr. Hesham EL- Hariri and the Nigeria Olympic Committee 2nd Vice President, Barr. Francis Orbih in attendance appreciated the achievements recorded by the NBBF Board in the last 1 and half years.
The delegates highlighted Afrobasket Women’s Basketball championship triumph in Mali in 2017, the Afrobasket silver medal winning feat of the D’Tigers as well as the exploits of D’tigress at the FIBA Women’s World Cup in Spain where the Team set an African record by reaching the Quarter Finals for the first time.
They reckoned that such achievements which also included D’Tigers qualification for the FIBA Men’s World Cup in China, as well as the successful hosting of the World Cup Africa Zone Qualifiers 3rd and 4th window, could not have been possible without Kida’s quality leadership.
The Assembly urged the Board not to relent in its effort to see that Basketball is well grounded in Nigeria while expressing optimism that the domestic league will soon become a thing of pride.
FIBA, through its representative, EL- Hariri praised the NBBF for putting together a successful Annual General Assembly
The FIBA Africa Zone 5 President and member of FIBA Africa Central Board stressed that he was in Nigeria on the directive of FIBA to observe and convey FIBA’s total support which is a confirmation and approval of the Annual General Assembly.
Meanwhile, the Assembly considered the Draft NBBF Statutes, received contributions from the accredited delegates and after a thorough review unanimously approved, ratified and adopted the Statutes which is to be called: The NBBF Statutes 2019.
The Assembly also unanimously approved the 2019 NBBF program of activities as presented by the NBBF board while also approving the NBBF 2017 and 2018 Audited Financial Report.
Kida thanked all the delegates for believing in the leadership of the NBBF as it repositions Basketball in Nigeria for stability, sustainable growth, and development. The NBBF President assured that the Board will not betray the confidence reposed in it.
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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