Players of Nigeria’s national men’s and women’s basketball teams have resolved to seek an audience with President Muhammadu Buhari as they hope for the reversal of the self-imposed two-year ban from international basketball.
On May 12, the Ministry of Youth and Sports announced President Buhari granted approval that the country should stay away from international basketball due to the lingering crisis plaguing the administration of the game.
It was also stated that basketball on the domestic scene was moribund and there was an urgent need to resuscitate the sport from the grassroots, hence the decision to pull out of international engagements.
That controversial decision was greeted with so much backlash and it led to the withdrawal of D’Tigress from the Women’s World Cup billed for Syndey, Australia in September.
FIBA announced it has invited Mali to take the slot of Nigeria and many found that displeasing, hence the need to let President Buhari see the true picture and the greater harm the self-imposed ban will cause rather than solve.
During a Twitter Space session held on Friday with members of the D’Tigers and D’Tigress in attendance, the need for players to speak directly to President Buhari was highlighted.
Shane Lawal, a player who got injured while representing Nigeria, said the recent events which have culminated in D’Tigress being thrown out of the World Cup are heart-wrenching.
“We need to find somebody that’s going to put us in the same room; to humbly put us in the same room with the President… Whatever we can do to create a noise loud enough to hear must be done,” said Lawal, whose injury permanently changed the trajectory of his blistering career.
For the former Barcelona star, it would be a big shame if D’Tigress are denied a chance to be at the World Cup after all the hard work they put in.
Even beyond D’Tigress, Shane said it would be a big blow to every ambitious young Nigerian girl across the world
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“It’s so embarrassing that we’re even in this situation,” she said. “Imagine qualifying for the World Cup… And not being allowed to play by us (Nigerians), not by somebody else on the outside.”
For D’Tigress captain, Adaora Elonu, one thing that has fueled this present logjam is the lack of communication and decisions being taken based on assumptions.
She wondered how the young girls that are supposed to be the new focus of the ministry will be motivated when they have no chance of playing international basketball even after the self-imposed two-year exile elapses.
She said: I think they were a lot of misinformation was put out there. There was definitely no checking or communicating with the players and I think that’s the biggest problem.
While the national team players are seeking to get the listening ears of President Buhari who they believe will allow reason to prevail, they have promised to come together to make a video they hope will reach the country’s number one citizen.
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