Basketball
IS DOOMSDAY HERE AS FIBA DEADLINE TO NIGERIA EXPIRES?
The Nigeria Basketball Federation has called for calm as the November 30 deadline date given by the Federation of International Basketball Associations FIBA to the Nigeria Olympic Committee to find an amicable solution to the NBBF leadership impasse expires this Thursday.
At a media briefing held on Wednesday, the Vice President of the federation, Babs Ogunade gave an assurance that the decision of the apex body will only establish a solid frame work for future elections in Nigeria.
Ogunade said that the board had compromised several times just for the sake of basketball and its growth but the previous board had been so adamant despite attempts by the NBBF President, Musa Kida to open up communication.
“We had to sign an undertaken before the Federal Government could allow them use the Indoor Sports hall in Lagos for the conclusion of the Zenith Women’s Final 6 and the concluding part of the premier league for women.
“When we went to Cotonou for the FIBA Africa 3×3 zonal qualifiers, another team was sent by the Kano group. When it was our turn to play, the Kano team received a call to also come on court despite not registering for the competition.
“The intention was to cause confusion and create an impression that there was a crisis, but out of maturity, we had to step down our teams in other not to embarrass the country.
“When we went to Madagascar for the draws for the African Champions Cup, the Kano group also sent representatives to come and represent Nigeria, but FIBA in their wisdom related with us.”
Also speaking at the event, the international representative on the NBBF board, Col. Samuel Ahmedu (rtd) denied claims that FIBA did not recognize their election.
“According to the letter sent to the different groups and the NOC, FIBA categorically stated that they were investigating the allegations of government interference during the conduct of the June 13 elections held in Abuja under the supervision of NOC.”
Ahmedu said the result of their findings will determine FIBA’s decision. He corroborated the VP’s claim that the Kano group just wanted to create an artificial crisis where there was none.
“Despite our clear cut directives to teams not to participate in the final 6 and final 8 competitions subject to approval, we still compromised and allowed the teams that emerged from that championship to represent Nigeria at the international stage.”
Ahmedu who is the Benue state basketball association Chairman pointed fingers at the former board for several attempts to sabotage the country’s effort during the preparations for the cup of nations for men and women.
“When we were preparing for the women’s competition, the former board called some of the players not to report to camp because a special camping arrangement had been made for the players to be camped in Tunisia.
“For the men, most of the 2015 set who won the Afrobasket were influenced not to come play for their fatherland. Because of that, many of them gave different excuses while some demanded to be paid as much as 200,000 dollars before playing for Nigeria.”
The players’ representative on the board, Ejike Ugboaja maintained that FIBA who are interested in promoting the game globally will look for alternatives rather than banning Nigeria who are the reigning champions in the African cup of nations for women and FIBA Africa 3×3 competition for men.
“The players just want to play basketball. We are tired of the efforts by some people to destroy the fibre of basketball in Nigeria.”
He blamed Umar for the crisis rocking the Nigerian basketball and the embarrassment at the international level.
“He knew his time was up, that was why he went to Kano to conduct an election on the 12th of June. His plan was to use the election to muddle up the pond and create a rancorous situation which will force round table discussions.”
He said in line with the FIBA guidelines, the former president of the NBBF, Tijani Umar has completed his mandate of t terms and he is statute barred to even contest for another term of four years.
By Ugo Okeiyi, Enugu
The end-of-year Ozobz Elite Basketball Invitational Tournament, tagged “Championing the Youth Through Sports, Education and Opportunity,” has taken off and will be concluded on Friday. The three-day event is taking place at the Indoor Sports Multipurpose Gymnasium, Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu.
The grassroots basketball competition is designed to serve as a platform for discovering and nurturing the next generation of Nigerian basketball talent.
A total of 14 teams — eight male and six female sides drawn from across the country — are competing for honours in what promises to be an exciting three-day basketball spectacle.
The tournament is powered by the Anthony Ozubuekwe Foundation, in collaboration with the Enugu State Ministry for Youth and Sports Development and the Enugu State Basketball Association.
Organisers say fans should expect high-quality action, with displays of skill, athleticism and tactical awareness from some of the most promising young players in the country.
According to the organisers, the initiative is structured to positively engage young people, steering them away from social vices and criminal tendencies, while using sports as a tool for education, personal development and opportunity creation.
They added that the tournament will also give coaches and team officials a valuable opportunity to assess the mental readiness, discipline and competitive mindset of the players, while providing a conducive environment for athletes to interact, bond and learn from one another.
The competition will be played in a round-robin format, with attractive prize money on offer. In the men’s category, the champions will receive ₦2 million and a giant trophy, while the runners-up will earn ₦1.5 million.
In the women’s category, the winning team will go home with ₦1.5 million, while the second-placed team will receive ₦750,000.
With its blend of competition, youth empowerment and community development, the Ozobz Elite Basketball Invitational is expected to be one of the standout grassroots sports events of the year in Enugu State.
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Former head coach of Nigeria’s men’s basketball team, Alex Nwora, will join family, friends and well-wishers on December 28, 2025, to celebrate the 90th birthday of his father, Chief Charles Okwudi Nworah, in Onitsha, Anambra State.
The milestone celebration, according to Evelyn Childs, Public Relations Officer of the US-based Imo Women Elite Club (IWEC), will take place at the expansive Onitsha compound of the nonagenarian, who is highly regarded in his community.
Born on April 17, 1936, to Akudo and Agnes Nwora of the Okakwu family in Ogbedogwu Village, Onitsha, Chief Nworah’s early years reflected strong family values rooted in education and public service. He attended St. Mary’s Catholic School before moving on to Prince Commercial College, and later completed his secondary education at Baptist High School, Osogbo, in Osun State.
Chief Nworah began his career in the civil service at a young age with the Post and Telecommunications Service (P&T), where his father also served and retired as a senior manager. His professional journey continued seamlessly into Nigerian Telecommunications Limited (NITEL) following the merger of P&T with the Nigerian External Telecommunications.
Alex Nwora, who led D’Tigers through notable periods of growth and international competition, is expected to play a central role in the celebration, which will bring together members of the extended Nwora family and the Onitsha community to honour the life and legacy of the elder statesman.
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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has conferred national honours on all members of Nigeria’s women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, in recognition of their historic victory at the 2025 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket Championship in Côte d’Ivoire.
Each member of the team was decorated with the Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) title at a special reception held on Monday at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. Representing the president at the event was Vice President Kashim Shettima, who announced a series of generous rewards for the champions.
In addition to the national honours, each player will receive $100,000, while each member of the technical crew will be given $50,000. The government also pledged a flat in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to every player and official on the squad.
The rewards follow D’Tigress’s emphatic 78-64 win over Mali in Sunday’s AfroBasket final, played at the Palais des Sports de Treichville in Abidjan. The victory marked Nigeria’s fifth consecutive AfroBasket title, a feat unmatched in the tournament’s history. With the triumph, D’Tigress also secured an automatic berth to the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in Berlin, Germany.
President Tinubu, in his remarks delivered by Vice President Shettima, hailed the team’s resilience, determination, and consistency, describing their dominance on the continental stage as a symbol of national pride and inspiration to the youth.
Present at the reception were First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to the President, Garba Maidoki, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Youths and Sports Development, and Kabiru Amadou, Chairman of the House Committee on Sports.
The honours and incentives underscore the government’s renewed commitment to recognising excellence in sports and motivating future champions.
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