By Mike Oboh
The Nigeria Basketball Federation has regrettably announced that holding the Men’s Premier League may not dunk off soon due to the on-going suit brought against it by Management Board of Kwese Premier Basketball League’ and one Ibrahim Sa’ad (Chairman, Gombe State Basketball Association)
Sa’ad is fronting for Gombe Bulls, Kwara Falcons Basketball Club (who have recently shown intention to withdraw from the court) and the Nigeria Basketball Premier League Owners’ Council.
NBBF was dragged to Court on the 6th November, 2018 by proxies of the former NBBF Board attempting to stop the current NBBF Board from organizing the Premier Basketball League.
The suit which is an injunction seeking to stop the NBBF from organizing the Nigerian Premier Basketball league (FHC/ABJ/CS/1317/2018) held a court sitting on the 13th October 2020 and has continued to be a painful clog in the federation’s wheel of progress.
In order to avoid contempt of Court, the NBBF will refrain from organizing the Premier Basketball until the determination of the substantive suit.
The NBBF President, Engr Musa Kida said, “We are not unmindful of the concerns of our players who are being affected by the absence of NBBF Men’s Premier League but sadly, most agitators have found it easier to blame the board for not being concerned about their plight which is the easiest thing for them to do due to ignorance.”
The board said there was a need to set the records straight so that genuine stakeholders can beam their searchlight on the real people causing the problems who are hell bent on destroying the future of young basketball players because of their personal agenda.
While calling for understanding of the situation the federation has found itself, Kida said the federation is doing all in its power to actively engage the players.
“We have been engaging in massive marketing drive to get sponsors, but no responsible corporate organisation will want to invest in a cacophonous environment that we have found ourselves.”
Explaining further, Kida noted that “In spite of the legal logjam and absence of a sponsor, the federation has been coming up with different programs to fill the vacuum. We know it is not enough, but we will continue to do our best as allowed by the reality on ground”.
Ruing the missed opportunities for players to grow, the NBBF president said, “We have recorded some achievements through the Total Division One and Two leagues as well as the expanded Zenith Bank Women Basketball League. Imagine what we would have achieved without all these needless distractions.”
