NBBF President, Tijani Umar
The three-man Federation of international Basketball Association (FIBA) delegation on the Nigeria crisis ended its fact-finding tour of the country in Lagos yesterday with a promise to release its verdict on March 10.The delegation is in Nigeria to find a way of resolving the leadership crisis that has dogged the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) since last year’s federations’ elections.
Engr. Musa Kida and immediate past NBBF president, Tijjani Umar both claim leadership of factions of the federation. Addressing journalists after a closed door meeting with the NOC at the National Stadium, Lagos yesterday, FIBA regional director, Alphonse Bile said the world basketball body’s representatives met with Kida, Umar and other stakeholders of the dunking game.
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“We, the members of FIBA fact finding mission, do not have anything to say now on the leadership crisis in Nigerian basketball. The delegation has received all the information needed. Basketball followers in the country have to wait till March before getting any clarification on the NBBF crises.“All I can say now is that Nigeria basketball would have a bright future if the country had a good federation,” he said.
Looking at the D’Tigress opponents at the World Cup, he said the “group would be tough. Australia is a big team in basketball at the moment and also Turkey and Argentina. It would be a tough task for the Nigeria team, who are African champions, to surpass these teams,” he said. Also speaking on the visit, Nigeria Olympic Committee’s (NOC) Secretary General, Tunde Popoola said the organisation has provided all the necessary information needed by the FIBA delegation to act on.
“The FIBA delegation has finished with their findings. After meeting with the government, Kida, Umar and now the NOC, I believe they have gotten the vital information to do their own work. “NOC gave FIBA its report without any form of bias. Nigerians need to wait till March before getting the final verdict from FIBA.”
Despite the uncertainty created by the lingering crisis, NBBF board member, Colonel Sam Ahmedu assured Nigerians that the board would continue working hard to position the country’s basketball.
Source: G Sport
