By Lekan Idowu
The inability of the National Sports Commission (NSC) to make adequate funds available to the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) has put paid to the country’s participation in the first FIBA Africa Championship for U-16 Women which holds in Bamako, Mali from August 30 through September 5, 2009.
Even with spirited effort made by the Nigeria Basketball house to see that the nation’s young Tigress made the trip after coming top at the FIBA Africa Zone-III qualifiers earlier in the year proved abortive as most corporate organisations approached, turned down the proposal on the ground that the championship was too sudden.
The federation, however, took the disappointment with a pinch of salt and appealed to the glorious players and their coaching crew that better days are ahead.
NBBF president, Tijjani Umar says he is saddened that the federation could not showcase the rich talent of Nigerian basketball but promised that the NBBF will strive to make sure that Nigeria did not miss out of future championships.
Alhaji Umar appealed to stakeholders to rally round the federation in its bid to take the nation’s basketball to the next level.