By Chinedum Ohanusi
In the words of
renowned Algerian political radical, Pan-Africanist, and rights activist, Frantz Fanon, “each generation must, out of relative obscurity, discover its mission, [it’s either they] fulfill it, or betray it.”
For a reminder, Frantz Fanon
was a leading figure amongst those who whole-heartedly engaged in the independence struggle, the Algerian people waged against imperial France. His astute, passionate analyses of the dynamics of that struggle, that was fought, and won in part, is still being fought on other fronts, while the battle mutates from one form, to another.
The quote above, and scenario of Fanon’s battles for the freedom of Algeria, from the hegemony of French colonial masters; perfectly mirrors the predicament of Nigeria Basketball Federal (NBBF), which for about a decade, has been bisected by battles of attrition, that pitted individuals and groups against each other.
Regrettablly, the hallmark of these individuals and groups, drenched in self-serving interests, and their stock in trade is basically to lord themselves above common good; while relegating the collective good of basketball in the country.
These crises, and infightings over the years, often boils over at every quadrennial election circle, and are laced with the alignment, and realignment of powerful individuals, and interest groups; whilst the NBBF constitutions, have had to be tweaked from time-to-time in a bid to steady the highly volatile and drifting NBBF Ship.
Yet the sport, which was once ranked only second in the country, in almost every parameter, that’s after football, continued to suffer the ill-effects of the seeming unending squabbles, fueds, and infightings; while the sporting authorities who ought to instill some control or semblance of sarnity have either been complicit or indifferent, while the game is plundered.
As a result, the critical stakeholders, which some prefer to call gladiators of the game, viz players, coaches, referees, commissioners, and other delegates; had their passion, means of livelihood, career development and growth, trampled upon, short circuited, and maybe extinguished, by self-serving persons, who by fate or providence, mounted leadership positions.
Scratch the surface just a bit, on the struggles of Nigerian basketball in the last decade,
and a few names will repeatedly resonate, mostly for the wrong, and unethical reasons.
With the prospect of another NBBF board elction looming large, these same machinationists, are back in the trenches, bent on going the extra mile, to preserve their selfish interests, badges, and positions; by trying to manipulate the processes, confound the stakeholders, and NBBF Congress; without giving a hute to the well-being of the weary state our nation’s basketball is, as today.
By the same token, stories that promote their peverded interests, are being syndicated via the media, as they look to give legitimacy, and approval ratings to the dummies to unsuspecting stakeholders, whose voices and collective resolve to refuse Engr. Musa Ahmadu Kida a tenure elongation he so desperately wanted, and in his place elect a new board that will alter the state of our basketball for the better.
At a well attended meeting of basketball stakeholders from across the country, on January 09, 2026 at the Media Centre of the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja, presided over by the Director General of the National Sports Commission, Hon. Bukola Olopade, and the President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) Engr. Habu Gumel, it was made crystal clear that the tenure of the Engr. Musa Kida board elapsed on January 31, 2026.
That meeting also resolved that if the outgone President of the NBBF, Engr. Kida fails to convene a Congress, to chart the way forward, the Congress of the body should takeover, and midwife an election for a new board, on or before March 31, 2026.
Unable to convene even one of such meeting, since he was elected on January 31, 2022 in Benin City; it was no surprise that Engr. Kida fluffed the last opportunity he had to negotiate his exit with the most powerful organ of the NBBF, the Congress. Sadly, this was despite the persuasions, and entreaties made to him by the Sports Commission, to do so.
So, even without Engr. Kida who the Sports Commission, and stakeholders say has ceased to be President, and the board he led now dissolved; the Congress of NBBF including some staunch sympathizers of Engr. Kida have penned a strong worded petition to the global body FIBA in Switzerland, requesting that the NSC, the arbiters in this impasse, be empowered conduct the delayed elections, in strict compliance to the revised NBBF Constitution, of which a copy is deposited with the global body.
The die is cast, and the basketball stakeholders, friends of basketball, Engr. Kida himself, and maybe the leadership of the National Sports Commission, are now in an anxious wait for the response of FIBA, for a new page and charpter of prosperity and growth to be flipped open in the chequered history of the nation’s basketball.
