Newly elected Adekambi: ''Task of rebuilding Togo basketball huge but not impossible''

LOME (Togo) - Togo Basketball Federation (FTBB) has opened a new chapter with the election of Gina Adekambi last December with the handover ceremony held in January 2022.

Adekambi is the second woman elected to run the FTBB after Lawson Nadouvi. Adekambi received 21 votes against Konrad Dagbovi's 8 at the polls.

The newly elected FTBB chairwoman takes over from FIBA game commissioner Andre Goungou.

While the victory dance was ecstatic for her and her supporters, she has returned to the real life and ready to take the challenges of administration head on.

Adekambi, a former Togolese international player told FIBA.basketball that the task of rebuilding basketball in the country is huge given that Togo has not been involved in active basketball at all levels for the past three years.

Yet, she makes bold to say that she feels a sense of pride and duty, given the work done by the pioneer Lawson Nadouvi.

However, Adekambi insists the word impossible does not exist in her dictionary and is ready to take strides that will reshape basketball in her country.

Adekambi noted: "I want at the end of my tenure in office to see Togo basketball at the same level of great African basketball nations. We are working on a development for a five-year strategic plan 2022-2026 for a quality positioning of Togolese basketball on the national and international scene. The search for funding for the renovation of our stadium to international standards is also work in progress."

Going down memory lane, Adekambi recalls that the Togo men finished fifth in  the 10-nation FIBA AfroBasket in 1974 and clinched a Third-Place in the 1977 six-nation Women's African Championship.

"We are aware that the road will be long but the task is not impossible because we know our strengths and we measure the commitment that it will take to achieve this objective.

"There is great hope in Togolese basketball. Today we can count on the support and availability of the Minister of Sports for our sport. FIBA offers and makes available plenty of opportunities in the field of basketball and Togo intends to benefit from it with our sense of sports management and our proactivity."

Togo last played at AfroBasket in 2011 in Antananarivo, Madagascar where they finished last in the 16-nation tournament

The resumption of  activities of the various basketball clubs from all regions of the country following the re-launch of the activities proves their enthusiasm and determination for the advancement of basketball in Togo.

"We are especially amazed at the number of players mobilized by the clubs as a whole. The technical partners and the sponsors are ready to support us in our vision of a revamped basketball in all its dimension. By the end of our mandate, we will all be able to appreciate the work that will be done," she stated."

Togo's first opponent at 2011 AfroBasket were eventual champions Tunisia on August 11, 2011

For the year 2022, the new president says certain activities such as the restructuring of the functioning of the federation; the holding of the conference of club presidents and presidents coupled with the validation of the 2022 annual action plan, the preparation of regional and national competitions for the minimum in all categories and the visibility actions of the federation will be an advantage to rebuilding.

Three months into her term, Adekambi can beat her chest and count the gains so far. "We have already recorded some interesting results over the three months of activities since our election on December 18, 2021," she emphasised.

"The inventory of the federation through working sessions organized with the major executives of the federation, namely the national technical director, the national coordinator of 3x3, the heads of federal commissions and employees of the federation as well as exchange and work meetings with the Ministry of Sports is the turning point for us."

Raising awareness of more than 80 junior basketball players on women's rights and the role of discipline in women's lives has been of a great impact.

To top it, the leadership, she says, has made the proximity and openness of the federation to the clubs which are the first allies building partnership with Club presidents through tour of visits to clubs in the regions.

Gina Bayi Adekambi

"There's no magic but work, the work of a builder is to stick to the levels of the cracked foundation by fortifying it and then move to other levels to build a solid and resilient foundation that are able to support the walls of the development of the basketball. We intend to assemble with the competition of all the actors. The solution we are considering is to rebuild our basketball from the ground up."

Knowing that the major challenge for the federation is that of funding, Adekambi says transparency, forward-looking management, pooling at all levels, especially for the implementation of realistic and budgeted projects will be a stabiliser.

FIBA