With President Bola Tinubu’s mandate for an aggressive grassroots sports development, the National Sports Commission will continue to advocate for the domestic development of the various sports while ensuring that the Federations operate in atmospheres devoid of rancour because a peaceful atmosphere is a recipe for growth and success.
This is the position of NSC Chairman Shehu Dikko as he applauds the men’s basketball team, D’Tigers for securing qualification to the 2025 Afrobasket billed for Angola.
While congratulating the team for getting the job done at the qualifiers and pledging the government’s support ahead of the tournament proper in Angola, Shehu Dikko opined that having more players from the domestic league in future campaigns will make such successes even sweeter.
His words, “I looked at the final rooster of 12 players and there were just two home-based players. We are planing to get to that territory where more players from the domestic league will be involved. Experts always say that a country’s national team is as good as its league. This postulation is applicable to all team sports, basketball inclusive and indeed other sports.
“Our growth in basketball will be measured by how many players from the home scene are good enough to play for the national team and not players who went abroad to make name for themselves in the advanced leagues before becoming key to the national team. This is why we will not relent in our efforts to have thriving domestic tournaments in all our sports. It is a mandate from the President and we are only the implementers. So we will work hand in hand with NBBF to make the domestic league stronger.”
For the domestic growth of basketball to be realised, the NSC helmsman believes that issues breeding crisis in the sport will be addressed.
“We will work in conjunction with the NBBF to settle any and all mitigating issues. Everyone needs to be on the same page so that we can pull in the same direction”, he added.
Shehu Dikko pledged the Federal Government’s support for D’Tigers to ensure that they emerge victorious at the 2025 Afrobasket and assured that all outstanding issues will be looked at promptly to ensure the players and the team are only focused on the competition.
“We last won this trophy in 2015. Based on our podium performance campaign, it won’t be out of place to target another success in Angola. They can be assured of our support at the Commission. I, my DG Bukola Olopade and everyone at NSC are committed to this one”, he concluded.
