Selfishness, greed killing Nigerian basketball, says Oyedeji

Former Captain of Nigeria Men’s Basketball team, (D’Tigers) Olumide Oyedeji, has called on stakeholders running its affairs in the country to come together and fashion out solutions to move the game forward.

Speaking with The Guardian from his base in the United States of America on Tuesday, Oyedeji noted that selfishness and greed from some quarters had affected the growth of basketball in Nigeria.

He stated that Nigeria Basketball would continue to face challenges, if the right approach was not used to bring unity among its stakeholders.

Oyedeji lamented that basketball in Nigeria had not lived up to it expectations in recent times due to the fact that some people were using individual sentiments to administer the game instead of national interest.

“First, I want to clear the air that I never took the present NBBF board led by Kida to court over the league as being speculated back home. My position is for all Basketball stakeholders to come together and selvage the sport. Sponsors and corporate bodies, top business executives are not interested in the game any more because of the crises in the basketball leadership.

“The truth is that we should stop lying to ourselves. Basketball is not developing in the country. It is dead. If people are looking at the achievements of the male and female national teams at international engagements overtime, you will be left in the dark by believing that all is well. But when you look at the home front, we are in disarray. At this point Basketball leaders have to come together, seat down and fashion ways forward in one accord to develop the game in the country. There is nothing new that is happening in basketball now that has not happened before apart from the fact that both the Male and female teams will be competing at the Olympics.

“Nigeria male and female teams have been playing at the Olympics, World Cup and excelling at major African and international championships over the years with domestic players being part of the success. What I am trying to say now is that the crises in Basketball has ruined the future of our players,” Oyedeji stated.