Following the seemingly intractable problems in the build-up to the 2021 Nigeria Basketball Federation elections, the Minister of Youths and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, has called for another emergency meeting with leaders of the two factions that are beginning to hold the game to ransom.
The meeting slated for Monday, October 18 in Abuja will be in continuation of the one that was held before the extraordinary congress of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) on Saturday, October 2 in Abuja. Monday’s reconciliatory meeting will be targeting peace between the two gladiators, Engineer Musa Ahmadu-Kida and Tijani Umar, both former presidents of the NBBF.
Except for those who are not conversant with happenings in Nigerian basketball since 2017, it is an open secret that the festering leadership tussle between the two very important basketball stakeholders in the country is degenerating by the day.
Briefly, the face-off between Umar and Kida began in 2017 after both emerged factional presidents of the NBBF following the factional elections that held in Kano and Abuja on June 13, 2017. After unresolved issues, one of the factions held its election in the ancient city of Kano and the then incumbent president, Umar was returned unopposed.
Meanwhile, another group backed by the former Minister of Sports, Barrister Solomon Dalung, held another election at the Grand Ibro Hotel where the Rivers State Basketball Association Chairman, Kida was elected president.
Going by events that preceded the elections, it was not surprising that Dalung immediately endorsed Kida as the NBBF president. Obviously, the position of the Minister didn’t go down well with Umar who believed he was already laying a solid foundation for basketball in Nigeria. In addition, he felt slighted by the way he was shoved aside by his opponent.
In fairness to Umar, Dalung had failed to maintain neutrality in the electoral process. His support for Kida was so glaring that even a blind man could see. Umar and his group protested vehemently for a long time but the government, represented by Dalung, had the final say as FIBA eventually, tactically sided Kida in the leadership tussle.
A refined gentleman that he is, Umar moved on with life as one of the most powerful Permanent Secretaries in the country. For those who never knew, Umar is the Permanent Secretary of the State House (Presidential Villa). Yes, you heard me right, in the Presidential Villa. In fact, someone told me that he approves President Muhammadu Buhari’s travel expenses.
So why Umar settled down in the Presidential Villa, Kida presided over Nigerian basketball as its president. Unfortunately, while the senior national teams made appreciable progress under his reign as president of NBBF, the domestic league became moribund. And as I write this, only the senior national teams are active.
Interestingly, those who thought Umar has given up on his ambition to lead NBBF again were dead wrong as he has bounced back in full force to exact revenge on kida now that another election into the sport federation is around the corner. Ahead of the elective congress, which was curiously moved from Abuja to Benin, the two camps are at war.
Among the contentious issues is the constitution that would guide the conduct of the election. While kida’s camp is insisting on the 2019 NBBF constitution as amended, the camp of Umar has since picked holes in it and are raring for war. They feel it is manipulative and designed to favour the immediate past NBBF president.
It is against this background that the atmosphere in the build up to the election to be held in Benin on October 30 is fully charged. This has necessitated the Minister’s call for another emergency meeting with the two warring friends. Yes, the two rivals have come a long way. Apart from the fact that they are both northerners, they played university basketball together. They are indeed brothers in African context.
Now, my candid opinion, which I believe is going to offend both parties is that the only way out of the logjam is for Kida and Umar to sacrifice their personal ambitions and pride for the good of the game. It is clear both are now on an ego trip and I doubt very much, if any of them would accept to step down for the other. However, they should consider leaving the stage for one of their ‘boys’ to ascend the mantle of leadership.
What I know for sure is that if Kida stays on as NBBF president, there will be no peace in Nigerian basketball because Umar’s camp will feel cheated and humiliated. They would find a way to make life unpalatable for the leadership. Invariably, Umar who is yet to declare his presidential ambition would suffer the same fate, if he succeeds in removing kida.
Therefore, as they meet with Dare on Monday, Kida and Umar must put the sport they say they so much love above personal interest. It will not be too much for them to agree to step aside honourably for someone else to lead the NBBF. Anything short of this will only amplify the cupboard love the two camps are showing for Nigerian basketball.
