Basketball: North East zone quits sports ministry activities
By Ifeanyi Eduzor
Just like the South East zone, the North East has rejected the decision of the federal government to quit international basketball for two years.
The position of the North East zone was made known in a statement signed by Abba Kaka who represents the zone on the NBBF board.
Kaka in the statement declared that the zone would boycott all sports ministry activities.
Below is the statement…
THE COMPLETE AND TOTAL WITHDRAWAL BY THE NORTH EAST ZONE FROM ALL MINISTRY OF YOUTH AND SPORTS ACTIVITIES..
The North East Basketball Association in line with the NBBF Stand and Statement issued on May 25 2022 is hereby calling on all basketball Stakeholders and Players to boycott all Federal Mininstry of Youth And Sports organized Basketball jamborees Called games or Tournament or any Similar Activities due to Pulling the Game out of international Tournaments by the Ministry.
It is obvious to us that the Ministry of Sports and the Minister are being Remote Controlled by Enemies of the Game. Otherwise how do you explain the fact that the ministry can make a U Turn to their own Press Statement of September 30,2021? Where they Clearly said there is only One NBBF Constitution of 2019 Vetted and Approved by both the ministry, NOC and FIBA. That the NBBF Should Proceed with the Election and any other issues of Amendment Should be done in line with the Constitution and After the Election. Etc.it Simply does not make Sense other than Greed and Selfisness over National interest. How can you Pull out the ONLY GAME that brought Fame and Glory to Nigeria in the Last 4 years? ( 2 trophies). Both Men and Women National Teams Qualified for the World Cup at the Same time.( First on Record for Nigeria). We categorically Condemn this in the strongest Term because the decision is ill informed and not well thought out by the Minister. We are calling on all players and Stake holders to be Calm and Patient as we are working hard to make Sure that decision is Reversed immediately.To our Ladies who have already Qualified for the World Cup, we Say Your Efforts Will not be in Vain . Most States in Nigeria have already Said they will not participate in the ministry Activities and the North East Cannot be left behind. That is why the Ministry is putting Pressure on their Zonal offices to draft/Register any Team/player Who want to play in the Jamboree. When we came on Board 4 years ago, Basketball was at ground Zero. We Worked hard to turn around the game. For Example Borno State featured/ Qualified for the First time in National Championship in the past 16 Years. Both Taraba And Adamawa (both Men and women Teams) Qualified Twice both at the Division 2 and Zenith League played in Abuja and Lagos. While Yobe Consistently Maitained their Devision One Spot and came 3rd at the National Championship in Lagos. How Can any Minister Say there is no grassroot games in Nigeria.? Or Sponsors? Sunday Dare forgot that both Zenith bank and Total Energies are big Coporate Sponsors of the game. In fact the Minister was at Eko Le Meridian Hotel where he unveiled the Total Division 2 #150 Million Naira Sponsorship deal for 5 year. All the Above happend when Tijjani Umar the Ex NBBF president finished his 8 year disastrous misrule and Collected $2.2 Million Dollars from Econet of South Africa for a domestic kwese League, Money that was not deposited in the NBBF Account nor Returned to the Sponsor. For us in the North East zone Such a betrayal from Someone in the same zone can never be forgotten or Forgiven as our youth were left is distress and at the Mercy of Boko Haram to Recruit them.The same hard work and dedication by the NBBF under the Leadership of Engr. Ahmadu Musa Kida that Led both the Men and women National Teams become the BEST in Africa and qualified for the world Cup at the same time ( a firstime Record for Nigeria) and the olympics. The women won back to back. (3 times another record) for Nigeria. Our Record and that of the President of NBBF Speaks volume. Kida has severally had to Advance his own Money when government Money was not available to Succeed.( Only half of his money was Refunded to date.) We stand with the NBBF and the President and Constitution and Statutes of FIBA. We are calling on the President of Nigeria who is a lover of Sports to Remove this minister without any delay as he is out to rubbish his achievements in Sports and tarnish the image of Nigeria as we are already a laughing stock in the world of Sports by the stupid decision to pull Nigeria out for two years from international Basketball.”
