Ban on Basketball: South East association condemns Sports Ministry’s action

• Accuses Minister of connivance

The South East Basketball Association (SEBA) has condemned the recent pronouncement by the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development banning Basketball sports from all international competitions following the imbroglio engulfing the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF).

SEBA which is the apex body governing the sport in the South-Eastern part of Nigeria comprising Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo States, lamented that the decision will harm the zone which happens to own a majority of the local and international players.

According to SEBA, which empathises with the players over the decision of the Sports Ministry under Minister Sunday Dare’s leadership, their allegiance is pledged to the Nigeria Basketball Federation led by Musa Ahmadu Kida, who has of yore, contributed greatly to the growth of the sport in the nation.

In a statement by SEBA on Wednesday, May 26, 2022, and signed by the secretary, Mr Osundu Ngwude, they accused the Sports Minister of discreetly working with the Igoche Mark-led faction to raise teams to compete in ‘phantom events’ in the South East.

SEBA statement reads: “The South East Basketball Association representing all the South East basketball chairmen has condemned the withdrawal of Nigerian basketball from international competitions.

“The zone made up of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo commiserates with all players local and abroad that the actions of the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare have and will affect.

“For a fact, the Nigerian national teams are dominated by South East players.

Hence, the withdrawal will adversely affect the zone.

“Without any contradiction, SEBA is 100 per cent behind the Nigeria Basketball Federation and its President, Musa Ahmadu Kida who in the last four years have built an enviable basketball dynasty.

“It is no mean feat that D’Tigers and D’Tigress have become the two best teams in Africa and the top 10 globally, which calls to question the Minister’s decision to suspend the best sports federation in Nigeria?

“The only federation to qualify the men’s and women’s teams for the 2020 Olympics built the most robust grassroots program in the history of the game with the first-ever Division One and Two tournaments sponsored by TotalEnergies Nigeria.

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“It has also been the first-ever time the South East as a block participated in any grassroots event and the first time a South East team, ‘Coal city Miners’ featured in the premier league ‘THE PRESIDENTS CUP’.

“The South East believes the actions of the minister are politically motivated, a witch hunt, and not a sports-related decision as all excuses lack any justifications cooked up as a defence to the withdrawal.

“Hence, the South East will not support or participate in any ‘manufactured’ programs from the Federal Ministry of Sports.

“It is already well known that they have sent their co-conspirator acolytes of the Igoche Mark group to raise fake teams to participate in phantom events on behalf of the South East.

“The South East will be convening an urgent meeting to find creative ways to keep our players engaged and motivated during what will be a gloomy period for Nigerian basketball,” the statement concluded.

However, the South East statement follows the recent press release by the Nigeria Basketball Federation appealing to the Sports Ministry to rescind its decision banning the nation from all international basketball tournaments.