President Buhari has retracted his decision made weeks ago by suspending the Nigeria Basketball Federation from all international tournaments due to the unending crisis ransacking the Federation. Recalled last month, the President approved a two years suspension of NBBF as a way to help bring back unity into the Federation.
On 17 June a letter of appeal was written to the Presidency through the office of Sunday Dare, the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, the letter which was signed by the President of NBBF and got approval for its return to international tournaments.
Although this development came a few weeks after the D’tigress who are Champions of Afro basket and eligible to play in the World Cup were denied the opportunity due to the ban. They were replaced by African counterparts Mali in the Women’s World Cup scheduled for September to October in Sydney, Australia. It is still unclear whether FIBA will reinstate D’tigress.
The development was announced by the Permanent Secretary of the Nigeria Basketball Federation, Ismail Abubakar.
“The letter appealed to the Minister to use his good offices to approach President Buhari for the reversal of the 2-year withdrawal of Nigeria from international basketball competitions.
“The Appeal letter also critically gave some key undertakings: to immediately set in motion the process of status review or constitutional amendments from stakeholders as collated by the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, to set up a high-powered team to reconcile all contending parties in the basketball family at home and abroad, and a commitment to work with the Ministry in the governance and development of basketball among other things.
“Flowing from the above and upon a review, the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development approached and placed these developments before President Muhammadu Buhari being one that is committed to youth development and desirous of ensuring that they are availed of all opportunities in sports and other endeavours considered the appeal and in the overriding spirit of national interest, love for our youth, and to avoid sending basket development into a long period of suspension when NBBF has now committed to the resolution of the issues which precipitated the withdrawal in the first place has approved the return of Nigeria to international basketball immediately.”
