NGR - New vista for youth development through basketball

LAGOS (Youth Devlopment) - The commissioning last Monday of the refurbished Warriors Basketball Academy court by top officials of the Nigeria Basketball Federation, NBBF, the National Sports Commission, NSC and the World Health Organization, WHO, marked a new vista in the area of youth development through basketball.

The academy which came into existence about three years ago is the brain-child of a retired Army Col. Sam Ahmedu who is the coordinator of the Warriors Basketball Programme, the parent owner of the Dodan Warriors basketball club and the Warriors Academy.

The refurbishment work was sponsored by the world most glamorous league, the American National Basketball Association league, NBA and Sprite USA.

The commissioning which saw former NBA star, Sam Perkins alongside other notable coaches drawn from home and abroad among them are four Nigeria national team coaches, Scott Nnaji, Adewunmi Aderemi, Adeka Dauda and Masai Ujiri who is doubles as the International scouting director with the Denver Nugget featured a hundred kids in the two segments of the clinic with Perkins as chief instructor.

An elated Ahmedu said his joy knows no bound seeing the colourful basketball court commissioned for the development of basketball and mankind.

The warriors’ boss recounted his childhood experience and how basketball played a major role in shaping his life declared emphatically that the court will be put to full use for the continous development of baskteball in Nigeria.

Ahmedu went down memory lane how basketball rescued him from becoming a rascal. "Today (last Monday) is another joyous day in my life seeing the commissioning of this beautiful court and I can only promise that the Warriors management under whose care this court is entrusted will continue to do all within its power to contribute to the development of this great sport that gave me a leeway in life.

"What basketball done for me can not be quantified in mpnetary terms because if not for the game I wouldn’t be what I am in life today, I want to thank the NBA and Sprite for this gesture of having the Warriors Academy court elavated and I also want to use this ocassion to thank the instructors who have come from far and near to pass on their knowledge to the kids and other dignitaries who have find time to grace this ocassion", he concluded.

Nuggets international director and Junior Tigers assistant coach, Ujiri who is the main facilitator of the refurbishment of the playing court says the gesture would be replicated in other parts of the country.

The Nigeria former international, however, task the Nigerian kids to always do that which will bring glory to the family name and the nation.

Ujiri emphasised the need for all hands to be on deck for the benefit of Nigeria basketball and for the game to become a pride to all stakeholders.

Vivian Eze second Vice-President of the NBBF who stood in for the federation president, Elder Gyang Buba was full of praises for the NBA/Sprite, for deeming it worthy to contribute to the upliftment of Nigeria basketball through facility development.

She said when the history of the development of the game would be written in Nigeria the NBA and Sprite would definitely not be left out, she equally eulogised the management of the Warriors Basketball Programme under the leadership of Col. Ahmedu (Rtd) for the passion shown for the sport over the years calling on other lovers of the slamming and dunking game to emulate the type of spirit displayed by Ahmedu towards the development of basketball in Nigeria.

The one-day event was rounded off with a friendly tie between the reigning Africa U18 Champions, the Junior Tigers and the Warriors Academy played over two quarters for lack of time. The interesting match which saw some of the new invitee to the junior team ahead the FIBA World Championship slated for Vancouver, Canada ended in favour of the Dauda and Ujiri tutored side of 24-19 points and an exhibition match to launch the new court proper which features mostly ex-players.

By Olusegun Ikuesan
Official FIBA Correspondent in Nigeria