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The Director-General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Bukola Olopade, has charged the incoming executive committee of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) to put unity, inclusiveness and clarity of vision above everything else.
Olopade spoke on Thursday at the NBBF Elective Congress in Abuja, warning that lingering disagreements and internal divisions could stall the development of the sport in Nigeria.
He urged the new board to chart a different course from the previous two administrations by promoting harmony, mutual respect and a shared commitment to the growth of the game.
“The Nigeria Basketball Federation must continue to operate as one family. Wherever there is acrimony, progress is often sacrificed, and that is not what we want for Nigerian basketball,” Olopade said.
Describing basketball as a major sport in the country, he said its importance demanded responsible leadership and collective effort.
“I hope the new executive committee will do things differently from the previous two administrations by promoting unity, clarity of purpose, and love across the sport. Basketball is a major sport, and it is not something we can afford to treat lightly,” he said.
The NSC boss also voiced disappointment over the absence of retired Colonel Sam Ahmedu from the Congress, arguing that his standing in international sports administration should have earned him an invitation. He said Ahmedu’s presence would have added to the credibility of the gathering.
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“I am particularly disappointed that Col. Sam Ahmedu is not here. I had earlier written that, even without FIBA’s correspondence, the Nigerian Sports community recognises him as the country’s highest-ranking international sports administrator, and he should have been invited to this meeting. Unfortunately, he is absent because of the way things have been handled,” Olopade said.
He insisted that the basketball community must embrace an all-inclusive approach to administration, noting that excluding key stakeholders could undermine confidence in the federation’s leadership.
“If we want to do things peacefully, the process must be all-encompassing. The fact that he is not here today is disappointing, because his presence would have given this event even greater credibility,” he added.
The comments come amid concerns over the conduct of the NBBF electoral process and calls from some stakeholders for greater transparency and strict adherence to the federation’s governing regulations.
Olopade concluded his address by joining the Congress chairman in welcoming delegates and participants to the elective gathering.
The NSC DG stressed that the new NBBF leadership must look beyond internal disagreements and rally the basketball community around a common goal of sustainable growth and development.
