The Nigeria Basketball Federation President, Engr Musa Kida has assured Nigerians of more international laurels with what is left of the current board’s mandate.
Speaking on the eve of D’Tigers’ clash against host- China at the ongoing FIBA World Cup, Kida says the board under his watch is just getting started.
He assures that the recent global recognition by FIBA and the accolades back home have continued to motivate him and his board members to do more as he reflects on the recent achievements by the 3×3 teams at the 2019 African Games, the 2019 Women’s Afrobasket success, the performances of the D’Tigers at the World Cup and the recent recognition of the most improved Federation in the whole world by FIBA.
“I am happy to say that, just like I promised stakeholders at inception of our mandate, Nigerian basketball has come to stay. The NBBF has shown that Nigeria should be a multi-sport country, as there are other federations that can perform at this high level. For me, nothing is ever too much, especially if you asses the results we have had in the last two years,” Kida stated.
“So, I will say, we are actually just getting started. Two years is a long time but it is a very very short time for the type of results that we have achieved.”
When asked about his heavy financial investment in basketball, the NBBF President whose federation was globally recognized as the Most Improved Women’s Team between 2017 – 2019 at the plenary session of FIBA Congress and Awards Ceremony, he said he knew the implications before volunteering to contest as president.
“I actually volunteered to be elected president of the Nigeria Basketball Federation. I came in to it with my eyes wide open and I knew that my board and myself had to make a lot of sacrifices to uplift the game, and We were ready to make those sacrifices because of the passion that we have for basketball,” Kida added.
The NBBF President assured that with the very good body language of the new Honorable Minister of Sports, Sunday Dare, who has already given instructions for proper relief in funding for the NBBF, the body can only do much better at all levels.
“We have had very useful discussions with the new minister who has actually shown good disposition to helping all sports in the country” Kida added.
“We can all see the practical evidence in his short time in office by the way he has hit the ground running on all fronts.”
