Sports
NBBF: Of Two Year Suspension in International Competition
NBBF: Of Two Year Suspension in International Competition
By: Dr Lanre Glover
It was a dark Thursday for Sports in Nigeria with the announcement that the President had approved the two year suspension of International Participation by Basketball because of factional disagreement of the actors.
It is clear that the Head of State has been misled by the Minister of Sports and the Sports Ministry. Never in the history of sports in Nigeria has a thing like this happened. Even at the peak of crisis in football the Minister or Government did not go this far.
This is unnecessary Government interference in the affairs of Basketball. With due respect, suspending participation from International Participation is a function of a President of Federation and not that of the Sports Minister or Head of State. It is clearly an OVERREACH.
Men of goodwill in Sports and all presidents of Federations must raise their voice in utter condemnation of this outrageous action.
In what way will suspending international basketball for two years solve the problem of Basketball?
The world is a global village and this action is an embarrassment to the Government and people of Nigeria. The Ministry under the current Minister rather than encouraging active solution to the crisis has been busy promoting the crisis.
The Ministry claimed there are two elections, who opened up the stadium for the parallel election? They deliberately boycotted the election they called, and have taken every step to ensure basketball fails and yet the Minister is calling them to close ranks.
Basketball Federation or National Federation is the property of ‘WE’ the people and not the Government. In most countries, National Federations are independent and Dalong was going to do this towards the end of his tenure.
The Ministry of Sports should be more concerned with provision and maintenance of facilities most of which currently are in terrible state of disrepair rather than concern themselves with mundane issues like trying to control National Federations.
Also Read: Basketball players ask Minister to resolve NBBF leadership crisis
I personally feel very sad for the players who will not have the opportunity to test their strength and skill against international opposition an important ingredient of local preparation. Also the Minister is cutting his nose to spite his face. For sure basketball would have given Nigeria two sure medals at the coming Commonwealth Games.
The current Government’s term ends in about a year so what is the rationale for a two year suspension? For sure the next Minister will definitely vacate this unjustifiable action which smacks of show of strength.
The Minister could have approached this in a more refined way . As the Minister, all he has to do is refuse to approve international trips by Basketball a power he wields, rather than killing a fly with a sledge hammer.
There is a duly elected Federation in place and it will be a travesty of justice to try and put your own handpicked committee in place to organize the local basketball league. It is a recipe for more crises.
To the best of my knowledge, the current minister is the most litigated in the history of sports in this country and if he goes ahead with his plan he is likely to attract more litigation.
There is a need to think of what we must be remembered for in Sports Administration. I think the Nigerian Sports journalists and Sports Administrators must stand up for the truth and be counted.
NBBF: Of Two Year Suspension in International Competition
Zuwaira Gambo Commemorates Youth-Led Football Tournament Advocating Peace
… FC Yazuzu wins Borno Model Competition with a 3-0 victory
By: Our Reporter
The Hon. Commissioner for the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development in Borno State, Hajjia Zuwaira Gambo, graced the grand finale of a youth-driven football tournament designed to promote peace and unity in the region. The event, a flagship of the Borno Model initiative, featured teams comprising repented insurgents and local youth, showcasing sports as a powerful tool for reconciliation and community building.
The final match saw FC YaZuzu, representing Hon. Zuwaira Gambo, clinch an emphatic 3-0 victory over FC Gen. Abdullahi Ishaq, which represented the Senior Special Adviser on Security to the Governor. The spirited competition and resounding cheers from spectators highlighted the community’s commitment to fostering harmony and rebuilding trust.
After presenting the championship trophy to FC YaZuzu, Hon. Gambo lauded the youth for their initiative and vision. She remarked, “This tournament transcends football; it symbolizes hope, unity, and a brighter future led by the youth of Borno. Your efforts are a testament to the resilience and potential within our communities.”
She extended gratitude to Gen. Abdullahi Ishaq for his pivotal support and emphasized how the event aligns with Governor Babagana Umara Zulum’s vision for youth empowerment and sustainable social development.
The celebrations that followed the trophy presentation underscored the triumph of collective action and served as a poignant reminder of the transformative impact of youth-led initiatives in building a peaceful and unified Borno.
Zuwaira Gambo Commemorates Youth-Led Football Tournament Advocating Peace
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
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
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