Basketball
On June 12 We Stand, Says Tijjani Umar’s NBBF
Alhaji Tijjani Umar is holding tenaciously to the mandate he got at the June 12 NBBF election in Kano.
Nigeria at the moment has two parallel bodies governing basketball. Sports Village Square recalls that on Monday, a faction held election in Kano which produced Tijjani Umar as its president.
The election took place 24 hours before the general election into the boards of 31 sports federations that was supervised by both the Nigeria Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Nigeria Olympic Committee.
The Abuja election produced Ahmadu Kida as the president. Meanwhile, the Kano elected NBBF board on Wednesday issued a media release which was also sent to the Sports Village Square.
In the statement signed by its media adviser, Patrick Omorodion, the board remarked that it followed due process to the letter in conducting its election of June 12.
“The Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) is in custody of the NBBF ratified Constitution and the election rules and regulation which the NOC made input into for the conduct of the election.
“Let it be known to all therefore that the NOC was fully aware and briefed on the intention of the NBBF to conduct its election according to its constitution which is the best practice around the world.
“In addition, the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) was consulted and it made input into the Constitution of the Federation before it was adopted and ratified by the Congress of the NBBF Annual General Meeting on 30 January, 2017.
“The Constitution is superior to any document guiding the NBBF in the conduct of its affairs and there are articles and clear provisions empowering the federation to conduct its election and stipulating the composition of the Board of the Federation.
“The Board as it is composed in the constitution is the most broad-based, covering the basketball technical bodies, players representative, women’s representative, members of the international bodies and one representative each from the six geo-political zones elected by their state chairmen.
“Having followed the provisions of its constitution and taking away basketball from the highest bidder, the new basketball board will not waste any precious time arguing with anyone trying to justify the legality or otherwise of the election in Kano or Abuja.
“It is a fact known to all that the Secretary General of the NOC who is aware of all these facts has betrayed the NOC family in Nigeria by pursuing an agenda that is not acceptable to the rest of the NOC Exco and Executive Board.
“In this circumstance, the newly elected NBBF Board led by Tijjani Umar and Olumide Oyedeji has forwarded to the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and all who should know a full report on the election and will await any action or decision from it”, read part of the press statement.
The statement continues: “In conclusion, it is our utmost duty to follow due process and the best way of doing things if we profess to love our game and country and it should never be difficult for any stakeholder to do or recognize what is right.
“It is on record that the Abuja elections of 13 June, 2017 were characterized by intrigues, irregularities, mischief and outright confusion and Nigeria does not deserve this.
“The NBBF will not contribute to this way of doing things and therefore appeal to the Media to also exercise great caution in publicising only positive stories that make Nigeria look good, honourable and respectable in the international community”.
SportyTV has secured a three-year agreement to broadcast NBA games free-to-air across Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and South Africa, in a move expected to widen access to basketball on the continent.
The deal will see SportyTV air selected NBA games and special events on its free television platform from next season through September 2028.
The partnership begins this Thursday with Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Detroit Pistons. For the remainder of the current season, SportyTV will show eight playoff and NBA Finals games.
Beginning next season, the broadcaster will offer a wider package that includes weekly NBA Saturday games, NBA Christmas Day fixtures, NBA All-Star Weekend programming, selected Play-In Tournament games and extensive playoff coverage, including the NBA Finals.
Vice President of Media, Marketing and Business Development at Sporty Group, Elias Gallego, said the agreement was designed to make NBA content more accessible to African audiences.
“There’s a difference between content being available and it being accessible. This deal closes that gap with NBA games, across mobile, smart TVs, and digital platforms, built around how people actually watch today,” Gallego said.
Fans across the four countries will have the opportunity to watch some of the NBA’s biggest stars, including LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Luka Dončić, Nikola Jokić, Victor Wembanyama and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
The coverage will also spotlight players with African roots and connections, such as Giannis Antetokounmpo and Joel Embiid.
Apart from live games, SportyTV will broadcast daily highlights, classic NBA content and historic matchups featuring legendary figures like Shaquille O’Neal, Hakeem Olajuwon and Dikembe Mutombo.
The addition of the NBA further strengthens SportyTV’s basketball portfolio, which already includes coverage of the Euroleague.
Visit the Sports Village Square Channel: https://www.whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
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.
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
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.
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
VIDEO: GHD Documentary Celebrates Kunle Solaja’s Remarkable Journey Across 10 FIFA World Cups
adidas Unveils Gold-Coloured TRIONDA FINAL Ball For World Cup’s Closing Stages
Hossam Hassan Blames Refereeing Decisions For Egypt’s Heartbreaking Exit
Breaking! Uzoho suspended from Super Eagles’ next match with Sierra Leone
No longer Super League as CAF changes name of its new clubs competition
NIGERIAN FOOTBALL CHIEF EXECUTIVE, SANUSI CHARGES NIGERIAN COACHES TO BE UPRIGHT, DILIGENT
- World Cup6 days ago
What a Load of Rubbish! How Senegal Threw Away a World Cup Dream
- World Cup2 days ago
Bizarre! FIFA makes U-turn to clear Balogun for US v Belgium World Cup clash following call from Trump
- World Cup1 week ago
Beyond the World Cup: A Journalist’s Reflection at Ground Zero
- World Cup6 days ago
Celebrating a Decade of World Cup Coverage: A Tribute to Kunle Solaja
- World Cup6 days ago
Cry for Africa, My Beloved Continent: How four decades of World Cup heartbreak continue to haunt African football
- World Cup5 days ago
Pharaohs End World Cup Knockout Hoodoo, Beat Australia on Penalties to Reach Last 16
- World Cup1 week ago
Mbappe Double Fires France into Last 16 as Sweden Swept Aside
- World Cup2 days ago
Article 27: The Little-Known FIFA Rule Behind Balogun’s World Cup Reprieve