A member of the Taraba  House of Assembly,  Tanko  Yusuf, has urged basketball coaches to unite and support grassroots development of the sport.

A statement by Kayode Adeniyi, Head of Media and Public Relations, Amateur Basketball Academies (ABA), said Tanko made the call during a two-day coaching clinic in Jalingo.

Tanko, who is also Chairman, Taraba  Basketball Association, said Taraba had talented coaches, players and referees capable of competing favourably with their counterparts within and outside Nigeria.

“We know that we have talented coaches, players and excellent referees, but we must remain focused, united and committed to continuous learning,” Tanko said.

He urged coaches to embrace modern coaching methods, share knowledge and create opportunities for young players to develop their skills and achieve their potential.

According to him, unity among stakeholders was critical to rebuilding basketball from the grassroots and positioning Taraba as a major basketball hub in Nigeria.

Tanko commended ABA for bringing the coaching clinic to Taraba, describing the initiative as timely and important to developing coaches and young basketball players.

“I encourage other stakeholders to support ABA’s vision because sustainable basketball development requires collective efforts, proper training and consistent investment in coaches and players,” he said.

He  urged coaches to effectively use the knowledge gained from the clinic and transfer it to players at the grassroots.

The President and Founder of ABA, Deputy Comptroller Aliyu Abubakar of the Nigeria Customs Service, urged participants to embrace the association’s new vision.

Abubakar said the theme of the clinic, “DRIVE,” represented five qualities essential for every successful basketball coach: diligence, respect, inspiration, value and education.

“Through these qualities, we can build a new generation of coaches capable of taking grassroots basketball in Nigeria to greater heights,” he said.

Abubakar urged coaches to ensure that their determination remained stronger than their challenges and their character greater than their ambition.

He said coaches should remain committed to developing young people beyond personal recognition, stressing that their responsibilities extended beyond the basketball court.

“As coaches, we are teachers, mentors, leaders, role models and guardians of the dreams of young athletes,” Abubakar said.

He added that coaches were helping to shape the future of Nigerian basketball and, more importantly, the future of young Nigerians.

Declaring the clinic open, Chairman, Taraba State Sports Development Commission, Coach Bulus Hussaini, urged participants to use the training to transform basketball development in the state.

Hussaini pledged the state government’s support and assistance to basketball stakeholders whenever necessary.

Twenty-five coaches from basketball academies are participating in the clinic, where they will receive lectures on coaching ethics, player development and coach-player relationships.

Other topics include “Who is a Coach?” and other areas designed to strengthen coaching capacity and improve grassroots basketball development.

The clinic is expected to equip participants with practical knowledge and skills needed to nurture young talents and promote sustainable basketball development in Taraba.

By Segun Odegbami

These are my modest solutions to Nigeria’s unending sports development challenge!.

Historically, on March 22, 1998, I was officially decorated with the honour and title of ‘Sports Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Nigeria’ in Abuja by the then Minister of Sports. It was in addition to a previous national honour of ‘Member of the Order of the Niger’, MON.

I take both honours very seriously. They are earned, the rewards for national duty through hard work, dedication, sacrifices, patriotism, discipline, and trophies.

They also come, of course, with additional demands and even more responsibility.

That’s why I try, always, to appreciate the country’s generosity by attempting to live a simple, decent life of exemplary good conduct to serve as a model for generations coming after me through the window of sports. How far I have fared with these unwritten expectations and standards I leave for Nigerians and posterity to judge.

Today, football in Nigeria is at a crossroads. The time comes to test my judgement and character, a burden that I must carry even in the evening of my life.

I find that there is really nothing for me to lose in standing by what I believe are the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth! To be silent now means to fail the government, the people and the game of football itself. So, I am raising my voice again.

Nigerians know me for my activities and contributions in sports and in football, in particular – playing the game, administering it, organising it, promoting it, deploying it as a tool to drive education, empowerment, health, patriotism, eradication of illiteracy, diplomacy and national orientation.

It all started in 1973. As an undergraduate student I was invited to the national football team of Nigeria, the Green Eagles, from the National Sports Festival, to start a relationship that has remained unbroken to this day.

In the 53 years since then, I played for the country; rose to be Captain of the national team and also of the national contingent to the Olympic Games; administered the game as a member of the board of the Nigerian Football Association and as Chairman of the Governing Council of the National Institute of Sports; single-handedly managed two Nigerian athletes (in a sport outside of football) to win Gold and Silver medals at the Olympic Games; served in several panels, commissions and committees promoting sports and seeking solutions to challenges in Nigerian sports; established an NGO/institution that has been promoting the combination of sports and scholarship; facilitating the migration of Nigerian student/athletes to Colleges and Universities in the USA and in India; and currently serving as head of a new and special unit developing a template and policies for sports diplomacy within Nigeria’s foreign affairs.

The measure of my work in all these national assignments are an open book for all Nigerians to see and determine.

All those experiences count in the position I have now chosen to take in the unfortunate present situation the country finds itself. With all the talented footballers that the country parades all over the world, it is a sad commentary that at international level, achievements have reached a plateau, and even started to decline. This is easily measured in the successes, or lack of them, that the country’s football has achieved in recent times. Some of the results are totally unacceptable, needless to mention them here.

The reality is that football administration in the past two decades, in particular, has not matched or complimented the level of talent and possible achievements.

The growth of our football industry has been stunted by faulty decisions taken more in ignorance than by any malicious intentions since the early part of the 1990s. These have grown, sustained and become the norm in our football, a monster that now needs the creators of it to rid it of its venom. They won’t do it because they are also the beneficiaries of the faulty architecture!

Next month, an election into the board of the Nigerian Football Association will take place. I am deliberately using the word ‘association’ because that is the starting point of all the anomalies in the present administrative architecture. This takes careful understanding that I cannot explain here , but that will make sense when the matter is tabled before a civil court for interrogation, and where a subsisting judgment to amend it has been treated with levity for almost 8 years. In law, the Nigerian Football Federation does not even exist!

As for the elections the way things are now, they have been held and sewn up already, the results determined even before a vote has been cast. The persons that can contest and will, know themselves already. Those to be deprived of the opportunity to even contest have been isolated and sent on a wild goose chase, to go around Nigeria furtively searching for endorsements they will not get in a rushed and harried election. The winners of elections have already been determined by the same group of people in office now.

The elections will also be conducted away from any prying eyes to avoid any chances of transparency, and where bribery and corrupt practices can be conducted without consequence, far from the headquarters of the federation and the supervising National Sports Commission that would have ensured neutrality.

The issues are long and endless that need the supervising ministry’s intervention. The NSC cannot do anything with their hands tied by ‘fictitious’ threats by ‘FIFA’ that have no substance in any statutes anywhere in the world.

In short, history, documents, facts and figures are essential ingredients that will illuminate the clouded areas of our football structures in order for the ship of our football to be steadied for future development.

My experiences cannot be bought in the market place or discountenanced. My current works speak for themselves. My suggestions for the future should at least be given some attention.

Therefore, I am writing this publicly with some concern but a deep sense of responsibility and sincerity. Elections into the board of the NFF have become a four-yearly ritual of crisis. The process used in conducting them have always been contentious, and were always challenged as a result of perceived irregularities and manipulation.

All of these to the detriment of the country that loves its football with passion but can only look on helplessly as football continues to suffer and fails to achieve its full potentials, fails to boost the country’s economy, and fails to empower the country’s gifted youths with the best opportunities that are available all over the world.

In the next few days, I shall be taking documents that are currently used in the administration of Nigerian football to the Nigerian civil courts for interrogation and interpretation, to explain to Nigerians documented facts about the real power and roles of FIFA in our country’s internal football affairs; the status, interpretation, role and place of State Football Associations; the equity in unequal and lopsided representation by members; the place and role of government as the biggest funder of football in the country; the justification for the convoluted, politicized, expensive conduct of ordinary football elections in Nigeria, and so on!

The next few weeks will be very interesting.

I hope all Nigerians, including the members of the Nigerian Football Association will understand why these elections should be temporarily halted for Nigerian football to find its feet again!

Olusegun Odegbami, MON, OLY, MON, AFNIIA, FNIS

Sports Ambassador, Federal Republic of Nigeria; Grand Sports Ambassador of Ogun State.

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, has reaffirmed the commitment of the Armed Forces of Nigeria to supporting initiatives that empower youths, strengthen communities and promote national development through sports.

Oluyede gave the assurance at the closing ceremony of the  2026 CDS Abuja Military Barracks Youth Sports Championship on Friday in Abuja.

Represented by the General Managing Director, Defence Holdings, Air Vice Marshal Tony Ndace, Oluyede  said the championship had successfully promoted sportsmanship, discipline, excellence and leadership among young people.

He said the five-day championship brought together youths from military barracks across the Federal Capital Territory to foster friendship, unity and healthy competition.

“The key lesson our youths should take away from this championship is the spirit of sportsmanship and excellence.

“ They have competed fairly, displayed remarkable talents and shown that future leaders will emerge from among them,” he said.

Oluyede said the Armed Forces recognised sports as an important tool for youth development and national integration, particularly at a time when the country faced challenges of insecurity, youth restiveness and abuse of banned substances.

According to him, the competition showcased not only athletic ability but also discipline, resilience, respect and teamwork, values that define the Nigerian Armed Forces.

“Our youths have shown that sport is not just about winning competitions but about building character, promoting unity and preparing themselves for greater responsibilities in the future,” he said.

The CDS also commended the organisers, coaches, mentors and parents for their commitment to nurturing young talents and ensuring the success of the championship.

He added that the military would continue to collaborate with corporate organisations and other stakeholders to sustain youth-focused programmes across the country.

Oluyede said that the Ministry of Defence maintained a cordial relationship with the corporate sector, which had continued to support its youth development initiatives.

He expressed optimism that more organisations would partner with the military in future sporting events.

Also speaking, the representative of the participating athletes,Frederick Marcus, appreciated the CDS, the organising committee, coaches, military authorities and parents for making the championship a success.

Marcus said the championship had provided participants with valuable experience, discipline and opportunities to develop their talents.

He  thanked the coaches, officials, mentors and supporters for their encouragement throughout the competition.

“Whether we won or lost, we all came out as champions because we have gained experience, confidence and lasting friendships,” he said.

At the end of the championship, Lungi Barracks finished as overall champions with two gold, two silver and one bronze medal, making a total of five medals.

Mogadishu Cantonment came second with two gold, one silver and one bronze medal.

NAF Valley Base finished third with one gold and one bronze medal, while Mambilla Barracks came fourth with one gold medal.

Nigerian Navy Base Barracks came  fifth with one silver and two bronze medals, followed by Gen. A.O. Azazi Barracks in sixth position  with one silver and one bronze medal.

NAF Bill Clinton Base finished seventh with one silver medal, while Shittu Alao Barracks ended the competition without a medal.

NAF Valley Base won the women’s basketball title, while Lungi Barracks claimed the men’s basketball championship.

Lungi Barracks also won the women’s volleyball event, with Mogadishu Cantonment emerging champions in the men’s category.

Mogadishu Cantonment won the women’s football title, while Mambilla Barracks emerged champions in the men’s football event.

Cash prizes of ₦300,000, ₦200,000 and ₦100,000 were presented to the first, second and third-place winners respectively in each event, while trophies and plaques were also presented to outstanding teams and athletes.

NAN reports that a total of eight barracks participated in the championship: Mambilla Barracks, Mogadishu Cantonment, NAF Valley Base, Nigerian Navy Base Barracks, General A.O. Azazi Barracks, NAF Bill Clinton Base, Lungi Barracks and Shittu Alao Barracks.

NAN reports that the five-day championship organised by the Defence Headquarters, began on Aug. 3 at the Mogadishu Cantonment Sports Complex and Aguyi Ironsi Sports Complex, Abuja, ended today .