Kida calls for a united Basketball family

A former president of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) Musa Kida, has urged all Basketball stakeholders in Nigeria to join hands in building a basketball system that will be self-sufficient and sustaining in the country.

In his New Year message, Kida congratulated Nigerians for being among the chosen to witness a brand new year that will usher in positive results for Nigerian basketball.

"I congratulate you all for being amongst the chosen ones to witness a new year. 2021 was tough, especially with the world recovering from Covid-19 and battling with new covid variants that threatened to shut down the world”.

While reminiscing on 2021, Kida said it was a year characterized by needless bickering amongst stakeholders which took the shine off a glorious year.

"For us in basketball, Kida said, it was a mixed experience qualifying for the Olympics (men and women teams for the first time in our history), the expectations and the outcome, as well as the Afrobasket championships experience and performance from our girls, winning the trophy for an unprecedented third straight time”.

He specially thanked President Muhammadu Buhari and the Sports Minister Sunday Dare for their unwavering support towards the sustained growth and development of basketball and Nigeria’s emergence as a global powerhouse in Basketball.

"In 2021, we were able to, successfully, hold the Divisions One and Two Championships and also officially resume the Men's Premier League after years of forced hiatus as a result of legal actions instituted by some persons against the federation".

Entering the New Year, Kida said it is expedient for all stakeholders to adopt a new approach with basketball development at the local, state and national levels at the core of any political ambition.

"The next 365 days will be key in determining how far the country can go in getting a working system in place, and whether Nigeria can sustain and improve on the magnificent achievements it recorded in the last year, and indeed, last four years”.

"In the past, we have depended on just individuals at the zonal and national level to drive the sports forward, but it is time to put a working system in place so that it can be an all-inclusive system that allows all to contribute their quota. This way, anybody can come in and fit into the system very well, Kida continued.

He concluded by pledging his unalloyed commitment to the sustenance and improvement of the astronomical growth and development that basketball has while encouraging others to never relent in their contributions to the game as stakeholders.

Kida wished every Nigeria a very happy and blessed 2022.