By: Chinedum Ohanusi
The recent redeployment of at least fifty-seven Secretaries of the various sports federations, as approved by the new leadership of the National Sports Commission (NSC), may have gone down seamlessly, except for a few federations, like the Nigeria Weightlifting Federation (NWLF), and Basketball Federation (NBBF).
Rather than accept the exercise, which saw Mr. Peter Njoku moved to South South Zonal office and Madam Amina Aminci appointed as the new NBBF scribe; basketball stakeholders in the country, have been on each other’s throat, especially at various Social Media platforms; for divergent reasons.
But a group, who are apparently not on the same page with the Musa Kida led NBBF Board, emphatically rebuffed both the failed moves, and argument put forward, as “pure desperation of those who want to cling to power at all cost”, or have got skeletons in their cupboards.
Hear their spokesperson; “not to be deceived or swim in their ignorance, I had to visit the FIBA, and FIBA Africa official websites; there I found that the NBBF Secretary General still there officially, is Adebisi! This fact alone, invalidates their argument, exposes their insincerity and rubbishes them as people who should not be trusted”.
The spokesperson added that he is pained that rather than usher in the new scribe, and give her the ideal and friendly working environment to settle in, for her to deliver the goods, the leadership of the NBBF threw caution to the wind, by embarking on a campaign of calumny, while trying to resist her posting.
“All of these, were unnecessary distractions; and may not be unrelated to the upcoming federation polls. As you already know, the NBBF is an elite federation, and the NSC may have assigned a strong character they believe will not be stifled by the factions, that have for years fought against each other, to the detriment of the sport, especially our domestic leagues”, he further asserted.
According to him, if Ms. Olabisi whose name is still on the website of FIBA as NBBF was removed, and Mr. Njoku whose name is not known to the same FIBA, successfully took over without any hues nor cries; it becomes obvious that those agitating for Mr. Njoku to stay put, are either doing so selfishly, or have got something to hide; and it tells the extent some of these stakeholders in the NBBF can go.
Another mind bugling scenario is in the Nigeria Weightlifting Federation (NWLF), one of the only two federations, whose General Secretaries was not redeployed.
Sports Day can authoritatively report that rather than accept the decision of the leadership of the NSC, a campaign has been mounted by some stakeholders, especially the Coaches; who are demanding that their Secretary, Ms. Melbina Apeh be redeployed as well.
It is not clear, as to exactly why Ms. Apeh was left on the saddle as scribe of the Weightlifting Federation, but Sports Day was told by the agitating Coaches, that she has not done enough to cater for their welfare, nor carry them along in the activities of the federation.
