Another feather was added to the already decorated cap of the Nigeria Basketball Federation NBBF in the wee hours of Thursday in China.
The NBBF was recognized as the federation with the Most Improved Women Team between 2017 – 2019 at the plenary session of FIBA Congress and Awards Ceremony which took place in Beijing on Thursday.
Nigeria was represented by the Nigeria Basketball Federation President, Engr Musa Kida, Babs Ogunade (Vice President) and Col Sam Ahmedu (rtd) (International Representative) during the celebration witnessed by 156 National Federations.
The women team under the period in review won two FIBA Afrobasket championships and became the first African country to qualify for the quarterfinals of the 2018 FIBA Women’s World Cup in Spain.
Speaking after the ceremony, Kida said the award is a validation of the improved status of Nigerian basketball since the board was elected in 2017.
“As a board, we have invested our personal money, time and energy in the last two years to drive basketball in Nigeria. Earlier in the year, we were celebrated by FIBA Africa which spurred us to do more,” Kida said.
“We have gone a step further to do more which has once again been rewarded with another AFROBASKET title in Senegal which has seen our unbeaten run in the championship stretching to 14 over the course of 3 championships.”
An elated Kida thanked every stakeholder who contributed to basketball growth saying the award is just the first of many more to come and a call for more sacrifice from all.
The FIBA Award for success and excellent work was picked up by Kida.
The Minister of Youth and Sports, Dare Sunday took to Twitter to congratulate the NBBF for elevating basketball since coming into office two years ago.
He pledged government’s unflinching support to the board led by Kida saying they are living up to the expectations of Nigerians and sports stakeholders.
4 Comments
Amaju pinnick this take a leaf because the NBBF is in one of its best moments we have ever experienced!
When you have people that knows what they are doing in helm of affairs, people with will, passion and determination;there can be only one result, SUCCESS!.
Congrats to the NBBF.
You have continued to show us that Nigeria never lacks talent,we only lack administration…
Keep going.
Don’t stop on your oars.
Hopefully,the rest Nigeria sporting boards takes note,and learn how to run a sport, even without government support and the likes…
And also,hope the government could at least be ‘wise’ enough to see that with support,sport can show the world something positive about Nigeria.
Una well don
I must really commend the NBBF for the great job they have been up to in the last 5 years. Despite not having the slush of funds that football usually has, they have managed to cement a place at the top in Africa and earn reckoning at the global level. Back-to-back Womens’ Afrobasket wins, D’Tigers and D’Tigress commendable qualification and representation at the world cups, smooth transition of the management of both teams, even our FIBA Africa club competitions commendable representation and many other commendable achievements that one cannot but take not of.
A well deserved accolade if you ask me.
I just hope the current financial issues bothering D’Tigers will be quickly addressed so we can look forward to a great outing at the world cup. Their recent performance at the pre-world cup invitational tournament gives plenty of hope for a greater outing this year at the mundial.