Sports
Basketball: When record speaks for Ahmadu Musa Kida
Basketball: When record speaks for Ahmadu Musa Kida
By: James Bwala
The Basketball Federation has never had it so good until Ahmadu Musa Kida came onboard as its President in 2017. The successes achieved within the period of leading the Basketball were remarkable in the history of the federation in Nigeria. Many sport loving Nigerians who knew the federation long before now have been asking how Ahmadu Musa Kida made it where others failed.
NEWSng in its recent findings gathered that the NBBF President was not only in love with the game but had a bond with Basketball that he made such sacrifices no other person would have thought of doing for the game.
According to close associates of Ahmadu Musa Kida, he has put in over four billion naira (N4,000,000,000:00) from his personal wealth to save the federation from the administrative bottlenecks that would have slowed the pace of achievements as in other sports in Nigeria. Out of this amount, about half was refunded while over two billion naira (N2, 000,000,000:00) was still hanging with the ministry for payments.
Also Read: NBBF: Of Two Year Suspension in International Competition
It surprises sports loving Nigerians to understand that Ahmadu Musa Kida has sustained the Federation in virtually all outings including allowances, renting of pitch and hotel accommodation for players and officials, while the ministry continued to play politics with the game.
Speaking recently with a close associates of Ahmadu Musa Kida with information about the running of the federation, Madu Bata told NEWSng that, Ahmadu Musa Kida took the job of running the office of the President, when he won to serve his first term of office in 2017, with great sense of responsibility and commitment, in the sense that he was single handedly financing the activities of the Federation, personally, knowing so well that government bureaucracy will always be a problem in smooth funding as and when due, coupled with the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic that grounded economic activities, globally.
According to Madu, “he personally funded both the “D Tigers “and D Tigress” international activities to success, at both continental and global levels, based on his personal commitment and adequate funding for the game.
“That he never waited for the release of funds from the government to adequately prepare the teams and go on tournaments to effectively represent Nigeria, as those approvals came very late, hence the enviable result making Nigeria as one of the greatest Basketball playing nations in the world. He did this, knowing fully well that the credit will go to President Muhammadu Buhari.
“Why I said this is because at the time President Buhari was setting up his machinery of campaign around 2015. Ahmadu Musa Kida was then very optimistic that Buhari has what it takes to turn this country around. It was his fervent belief that despite the daunting challenge of fighting asymmetric war and the covid 19 pandemic, the President has been able to emerge very successful at the face of this critical period when the entire world was facing recession and other global challenges.
“The emergence of the D’Tigress as champion of the world was as a result of the commitment Ahmadu Musa Kida put and that was exactly what the country used as its pride in sports by showcasing the first cup the D’Tigress won, during Nigeria’s 60th independence anniversary celebration.” Said Madu Bata.
Another personality Abba Kaka who spoke with NEWSng on the current development in the federation said “Ahmadu Musa Kida spent over N4,000,000,000.00 (Four Billion Naira) from his personal resources as well as borrowed funds to achieve the feet in NBBF, out of which only about 40% of such refundable funds were refunded to him as of now. So the allegations being peddled around that he misappropriated the Nigeria Basketball Federation funds are mendacious allegations that have no basis in law or common sense.
“It is strange for one to be accused of misappropriating his refunded funds. Musa Kida has made more personal sacrifices to the Nigerian Basketball Federation than all the former Presidents put together. His contribution include, but not limited to, engaging a National Basketball Association (NBA) of America accredited coach, paying competitive allowances for all the professional players that came to play for Nigeria, other fees required to get the signature of these professional players and to be released to play for Nigeria, hosting Nigeria players in the best hotels around the world and hiring basketball training ground in foreign countries to camp the teams, and other expenses he incurred and never demanded for a refund, as part of his contributions towards the growth and development of the game of Basketball.”
On the elections, Umaru Adamu said pursuant to the election which Ahmadu Musa Kida emerged as president, to serve his second and final term of four (4 )years was transparently conducted, free and fair, and according to the provisions of the NBBF approved constitution, with the absolute approval of the Minister and the Congress of the NBBF, that sanctioned that the elections be conducted in Benin, as approved by the congress of the NBBF.
“The election was conducted live and transmitted across the world,with FIBA officials, the world governing body, monitoring it, and at the end, adjudged to be one of the freest, fair and transparent elections ever monitored.
“For obvious reasons, however, the Ministry has refused to recognize the elections as they claim that another elections were conducted in Abuja, in clear contravention of the approvals of the NBBF congress, the electoral guidelines and the Provisions of the NBBF statutes( constitution), which the Ministry is now using to prevent a smooth transition to another board of a new term( 2022-2026).
“This is totally against the resolution of the Congress and contrary to the directives of the Supervising Minister of the Ministry, for the elections to be conducted in Benin, which the Secretary General of the Federation, a staff of the Ministry seconded to the Federation, flaunted the instruction of the Minister, by deliberately abstaining from the Benin elective congress.
” Let me informed you that Ahmadu Musa Kida inherited the administration of the game of Basketball, as President, from Tijjani Umar, who is a permanent Secretary in the Presidential Villa, who collected over $2,000,000.00 (Two Million Dollars) from Kwesse , the sponsors of the Basketball Premier League, to stage the 2017 league season, when he took over office, then they went to court to stop us from organizing the league for over three (3) years pursuant to which the tournament never held till this year, and the entire amount was embezzled with no record that it has been returned to the sponsors or the Federation’s coffers.
Also Read: NBBF President: Who Is Witch-Hunting Ahmadu Musa Kida?
“I do not know what Tijjani Umar was still doing in government services when he was supposed to have retired by now. We have an insider report on his records of service. We believe it is time to look into the records and see how he might have doctored his age to remain and lurking around. His interference in the activities of Basketball as well as the Ministry is counterproductive to supporting the activities of NBBF; the same bureaucracy that killed football and other sporting activities is now playing out in Basketball.” Said Umaru
NEWSng reports that the frequent unnecessary interference in sport administration by the supervising Ministry is against international best practice in sports, and empirical evidence have shown that the lackluster performance recorded in sport of recent, and Basketball in Particular, is caused by the unnecessary taking over of the Federation’s activities by the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports, that are supposed to play an oversight function only.
The recent call by the Ministry for the withdrawal of Nigeria from all International Basketball competition for two (2) years is not done in good faith or in the best interest of the game.
Basketball: When record speaks for Ahmadu Musa Kida
News
Nigeria did not Apologize to Libya over Super Eagles detention fiasco – Foreign Affairs Minister
Nigeria did not Apologize to Libya over Super Eagles detention fiasco – Foreign Affairs Minister
By: Michael Mike
The Nigerian government has said it at no time offer an apology to the Libya government over actions or inactions of the country’s national team during the fiasco of the detention of the Super Eagles at an airport in the North African country’s airport.
The Nigerian government made the clarification on Wednesday after it was reported in a Libyan media that it gave an apology.
A statement signed by Alkasim Abdulkadir,
the Special Assistant on Media and Communication Strategy to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar read: “On October 15, 2024, the Libya Observer published an erroneous report to gain political leverage and cause disaffection amongst continental football administrators and fans.
“The publication by the Libya Observer, which misrepresents the phone correspondence between Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and the East-based Government’s Foreign Minister, is a clear case of misinformation. The fact of the matter was that the CDA of the Government of National Unity was summoned to the Ministry to seek an immediate end to the unfortunate incident. However, not much diplomatic headway was made during the meeting with the Acting Charge of Affairs, Imad Mohammed Matooq Aboud, as they insisted that it was not under the jurisdiction of Tripoli, which they represented, but that of the Eastern Government in Benghazi.
This prompted the Minister to take immediate action by contacting the Foreign Minister of the Eastern Government, Abdelhadi Lahweej, to intervene and ensure that the detention ended. After that, the aircraft was given the necessary permits to fly, and aviation fuel was accessed.
Both Ministers agreed that the matter should be de-escalated immediately. Even when Lahweej insisted on rehashing the untruth about the treatment of Libyan players in Nigeria, Amb. Tuggar once again corrected the misinformation about the mistreatment of Libyan players during the Nigerian encounter. He did not apologise or regret the treatment of Libyan officials and players because the account was inaccurate.
“Lahweej proposed a joint statement, which the Ministry rejected because it erroneously misrepresented the facts of the incident. Above all, the federal government of Nigeria only shares a diplomatic relationship with the government of the National Accord and not with the Eastern government.”
The statement emphasized that: “Nigeria remains unequivocal in expressing its displeasure and disappointment with how the Nigerian Football Federation officials were treated in Libya. It calls on the Confederation of African Football to urgently ensure that its Disciplinary Board investigates the matter and imposes appropriate sanctions based on its statutes.”
Nigeria did not Apologize to Libya over Super Eagles detention fiasco – Foreign Affairs Minister
News
Nigerian Government Says Super Eagles Was Placed in Detention
Nigerian Government Says Super Eagles Was Placed in Detention
By: Michael Mike
The Nigerian government has described the incident with the National team, the Super Eagles in Libya as a detention.
The government in a statement by the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Eche Abu-Obe said it received with dismay the news of the unfortunate detention of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) officials and the Super Eagles of Nigeria at the Al Abraq International Airport several hours after arriving ahead of Tuesday’s 2025 AFCON qualifier against Libya.
The statement said: “To resolve the incident, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, initiated a phone call to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Eastern Government, Dr. Abdulhadi Lahweej. This spawned a series of actions, culminating in steps taken to assuage the officials and reassure the players of their safety. Subsequently, the contingent departed for Nigeria.
“In ending the phone conversation, Amb. Tuggar commended the authorities’ actions in resolving the incident, and both Ministers appreciated the amicable resolution of the unfortunate situation in the spirit of African brotherhood.”
Nigerian Government Says Super Eagles Was Placed in Detention
Sports
Nigeria Versus Libya AFCON 2025 Qualifiers: NIDCOM Boss Describes Treatment of Super Eagles Players Despicable, Tuggar Says Situation Being Monitored
Nigeria Versus Libya AFCON 2025 Qualifiers: NIDCOM Boss Describes Treatment of Super Eagles Players Despicable, Tuggar Says Situation Being Monitored
By: Michael Mike
Chairman/CEO, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa has condemned the treatment meted out to the Super Eagles team by Libya authorities ahead of its second leg match slated for Tuesday in the country.
Dahiru-Erewa in a statement signed by the spokesman of NIDCOM, Abdur-Rahman Balogun noted that travelling by road in Libya is most dangerous and totally not advisable because of the current situation in the country.
He lamented that the team which left Nigeria on Sunday to Libya for its return match had their flight diverted to an innocuous airport far away from the venue of the match, noting that the implication of the diversion will now be another three hours of road travel to the main venue of the match, not minding the risk of road travel in Libya , considering the situation of the war-torn country.
Dabiri-Erewa said the safety of Nigerian players is paramount to the country, and was optimistic that the Ministry of Sports and the NFF will advice appropriately.
She also called on CAF to treat the matter with the seriousness it deserves.
She decried that already, the players, the pilots and others on board the flight had been stranded and subjected to inhuman treatment at the airport for over 13 hours without water, food, rest and other means of communication.
She said: “The team were delayed at an airport in Libya for more than 13 hours without any tangible reason”
Dabiri-Erewa recalled that the Super Eagles flight was redirected air borne on Sunday and they were required to travel by road to their destination, lamenting that there was no provision made for them by the Libya authorities and all efforts to make alternative provisions by Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) was frustrated.
She however appealed to the Super Eagles to remain calm why the Nigerian Football Federation will decide the next line of action.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar has said Nigerian government is currently monitoring the situation in Libya.
The Minister said: “I have been closely monitoring the situation involving the Super Eagles in Libya.
“Through the Head of Nigerian Mission in Tripoli, Libya, Amb. Stephen Anthony Awuru, the Mission has maintained contact with the NFF, and the Libyan authorities since last night. Despite efforts, Libyan authorities have not yet authorized the Nigerian Mission’s trip to Bayda City, where the airport is located.”
He added that: “In the meantime, the Head of the Nigerian Community in Benghazi, Mr. Morris Eromosele, arrived at the location at 6 am this morning (Monday) with necessary supplies and internet access. We will continue to follow developments and await a report for further action.“
Nigeria Versus Libya AFCON 2025 Qualifiers: NIDCOM Boss Describes Treatment of Super Eagles Players Despicable, Tuggar Says Situation Being Monitored
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