NBBF President Calls on State Govts to Support Sport
By Yekini Jimoh in Lokoja
The President of Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF), Mallam Tijani Umar, has called on state governments to support individuals and corporate organisations that devote their time and money into sport development.
Umar made the call in Okene, Kogi State during the Annual Ajanah Basketball Competition among all the 21 local government councils in the state.
According to him, sport is the easiest and best way to mobilised and discourage youths from social vices that are inimical to their lives and the society at large.
He therefore called on the Kogi State Government to give a helping hand to those who promote sport in the state, stressing that the Ajanah Annual Basketball Competition deserves the support of the government.
The competition in the last nine years has become a veritable ground for fishing fresh basketball talents.
While advising the players to consider the competition as a step to make it in life, the President of NBBF commended the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Nasiru Ajanah, for sustaining the competition even in the face of the current economic recession.
In his remark, Justice Ajanah noted that his desire to sustain the competition was borne out of zeal to foster unity of purpose in the development of basketball in the state as well as help to remove idle youths from the street so that they can have brighter future.
“We have started achieving result as youths in the state have committed themselves to the game,” he said.
While commending the state governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, for supporting the competition with N1million, he assured stakeholders that he will not relent in his effort to further develop the game of basketball in the state.
At the end of the competition, Team Kogi defeated Team Okene to win the 9th edition while Team Okehi defeated Team Ofu in the third place game.
