Basketball
NIGERIA’S CHIEF OF ARMY STAFF, BURATAI BIDS KIDA FAREWELL AS PRESIDENT OF NBBF BOWS OUT OF SERVICE
The bond between the Nigerian military and basketball displayed as the head of Nigerian Army paid tributes to the chieftain of basketball organization in Nigeria.
The Nigerian Army had in the past had iconic basketball figures like Col. Sam Ahmedu and the late Gen Joseph Garba.
Now, Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Y Buratai has joined notable members of the global community in eulogizing the President of the Nigeria Basketball Federation, Ahmadu Musa Kida as he bows out of active service at Total E&P Nigeria.
In his goodwill message, Lt. Gen. Buratai described Kida as a kind gentleman, hardworking, very industrious and a philanthropist per excellence which has not only seen him impact his immediate community but also the global community.
Tracing their journey, Buratai revealed that, “Engr Ahmadu Musa Kida is a brother and a close friend. We both hail from Biu Emirate of Borno State. My father and his father were very close also.”
The Chief of Army Staff while reminiscing on how their friendship started said, “I have known Ahmadu Musa Kida since 1985 when I was a young officer serving in 26 Battalion, Nigerian Army, Elele near Port Harcourt.”
Though having lost contact in 1986, they reconnected in 2011 when Buratai was appointed the Commander, 2 Brigade, Nigerian Army in Port Harcourt.
While extolling his virtues, Kida was described as a keen sportsman, a professional basketball player and administrator as well as a sincere friend of the Nigerian Army through his numerous and generous interventions.
“While I was in Port Harcourt as a 2 Brigade commander, he generously intervened through the renovation of some of our troops residential accommodations. He equally funded the renovation of the headquarters, 2 Brigade quarter guard.
Buratai added that, “He is indeed a close friend of the Nigerian Army. He is among the few and the first to intervene in the infrastructural development of the newly established Nigerian Army University, Biu. He funded the building of the maternity and child care hospital at the university. This has since been completed and handed over.”
The son of the former Chief Judge – Grand Khadi of Borno state was also described as jovial, friendly and always willing to assist the less privileged.
“As he moves on to a new life as a retiree who served his country meritoriously at the global oil and gas community, I wish Engr Ahmadu Musa Kida a very happy retirement life, Congratulations”, Lt. Gen. Buratai concluded.
Kida started his career as a professional at ELF Petroleum Nigeria as a trainee engineer and materials coordinator before joining Total Exploration & Production Nigeria in 1985.
In August 2015, Kida was appointed the Deputy Managing Director of the Deepwater District in Lagos, a position he held till he retired.
Musa Kida, the president of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF), has been appointed as a non-executive chairman of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), the country’s apex oil company. His appointment is part of the sweeping overhaul that the Nigerian president, Bola Tinubu made in the first working day after the Sallah break.
The sacking of the board of the NNPC sees the appointment of Bashir Bayo Ojulari as the new Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO), replacing Mele Kolo Kyari. Prior to his current appointment, Kida was the Deputy Managing Director, Deep Water Services, of Total Nigeria.
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Basketball
NSC DG Bukola Olopade Congratulates NBBF Boss Musa Kida for new appointment as NNPC Chairman
The Director General of the National Sports Commission NSC, Bukola Olopade, has congratulated the President of the Nigeria Basketball Federation, NBBF, Musa Kida, for his appointment as the new Board Chairman of the Nigeria National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Olopade said Musa Kida has been one of Nigeria’s most efficient and Productive Sports administrators who has sacrificed a lot for the growth of Nigerian Basketball.
The DG maintained that his latest appointment is a testament to his years of passion, hard work, dedication and a very successful track record in the oil sector for more than two decades.
” Musa Kida is an accomplished administrator whose achievements cut across both the oil sector and Nigerian basketball. I have no doubt that the NNPC Limited will attain better efficiency and attract more investment under his watch”.
” Under his leadership as the President of the Nigeria Basketball Federation, we have seen the steady growth of the country’s basketball and how the National teams have continued to achieve new heights.
” At the last Olympic Games in France, the Nigeria Women’s Basketball team, D’Tigress was one of the shining stories for Team Nigeria, where they set a new record by making it to the knockout phase before losing to the United States”.
” I personally know the efforts behind the scenes that kida put in for Nigeria to achieve that feat with the girls in France and the Nigerian girls have been an unrivalled team on the continent for some time now”.
The DG added that he does not doubt that Musa Kida will use his new position to further earnest the development of Nigerian Sports especially basketball especially now that there is a new focus on growing a sustainable Sports Economy.
” Whilst the Oil sector will benefit immensely from the Expertise of Musa Kida as the new Board Chairman of the NNPC Limited, Mr President, has further helped to place Nigerian Sports in a better pedestal by putting one of us in a very strategic place like the NNPC”, he concluded.
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Basketball
FIBA names Nigeria’s Agada among those who starred the most on the last day of the 2025 AfroBasket Qualifiers
The 16 teams that will be competing at this year’s FIBA AfroBasket from 12-24 August have been confirmed, with some teams securing their places on the final day of qualifying.
A quintet of individuals put in stellar performances to send their teams to this year’s African championship in style.
Teams have 169 days to prepare for the 2025 edition of the AfroBasket set to be hosted by former champions Angola, who will be chasing a record-extending 12th title.
FIBA- Africa looked at the matches and the players and featured nine players who were the stars of the final day on Sunday.
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For the second game in a row, Agada was a thorn in their side’s side, scoring 23 points in a convincing 77-62 win over 2021 AfroBasket semifinalists Cape Verde.
The 30-year-old played just over 30 minutes and finished two rebounds shy of a double-double while adding six assists and five steals for an efficiency rating of 29.
Nigeria entered the competition after an 0-3 start, but his disruptive presence on the floor helped them to a 3-0 run to qualify, averaging 19 points, 7.7 rebounds and 6.3 assists.
The other players highlighted are: Ousmane Drame of Guinea, Karim Maneof Senegal, Childe Dundao of Angola, Siriman Kanoute of Mali, as well as Ntore Habimana (Rwanda) Aliou Fadiala Diarra (Mali) Allan Dokossi (Central African Republic)and Nisre Zouzoua (Cote d’Ivoire)
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