There seems to be no end in sight for the leadership crisis rocking the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) as former Nigerian international and a member of the Musa Kida-led board of the Federation, Ejike Ugboaja, has vowed to resume work as a players’ representative on the Board of NBBF.
Ugboaja was reacting to the letter on the social media written and signed by Mrs Afolabi Oluwayemi Olabisi, NBBF secretary-general and a staff of the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, in which she referred to Musa Kida as the NBBF president even after his tenure has elapsed and his board dissolved.
The NBBF scribe had earlier in another letter: (NBBF/M.31/2021/Vol.IV/93), dated October 26, 2021, announced the dissolution of the NBBF Caretaker Committee headed by Musa Kida with immediate effect, in preparation for the elective congress.
The former NBBF players’ rep who spoke to LEADERSHIP Sports, insisted that since the Sports Ministry is confused and in the valley of indecision to keep Musa Kida as the president of the Federation even after the tenure of his board has elapsed, he will assume his duty as players’ representative on the board.
“Since the Ministry decided to keep Engr Musa Kida on the board as NBBF president, I’m still the players’ representative on the board because we were elected together at the same time, though not the right thing to do. The right thing to do is to conduct elections to elect a new president and board members for the federation because our four-year tenure has elapsed.
“But since they are still referring to Kida as the president of the NBBF, like in the letter we saw on the social media, I’m still on the board too and I’ll resume my job as players representative from today.
“Going backward after dissolving the board and caretaker committee to refer to the same person as president of NBBF when you are supposed to conduct another election is not the best way to go,” Ugboaja admonished Sports ministry officials.
Speaking further, Ugboaja expressed disappointment with Sports Ministry’s action, saying he suspect the minister of youth and sports development, Sunday Dare, is either under a spell or operating in undue pressure to take such a position.
“I’m very disappointed with the Ministry for referring to Musa Kida as president of the NBBF because they ought to understand as intelligent and educated people that the position of NBBF presidency is not by appointment and since the election has not been held, why recognize someone whose tenure has since elapsed as president.
“I think the Minister is under tremendous pressure to take such a position unless he comes out to say that the letter is fake or a mistake. The onus lies on him to tell the world the truth and what the true position is.
“The only way forward is change; because we need to start doing things the right way to revive Nigeria’s basketball. I was drafted into the NBA from Nigeria and there are talents in Nigeria but instead of concentrating on developing the talents, build the game, we are busy engaging in political fights.”
Speaking in the same vein, chairman, Kaduna State Basketball Association and president Nigeria’s basketball technical commissioners, Pastor Skambo Morrison, insisted that the ongoing struggle to salvage Nigeria’s basketball from a chain of bad leadership would continue.
“It is unfortunate that this time we are still talking about irregularities in our elections at the board of Nigeria basketball Federation. It is a shame that this is repeating itself again after the 2017 scandalous elections.
“The whole world is aware that the Sports Ministry dissolved the boards of sports federations including basketball.
“For us, we will not be dettered or discouraged. The struggle to salvage Nigeria’s basketball continues, all our desire is to see basketball return to the path of sustainable development through elected credible leadership.”
