Many sport enthusiasts for years have been longing for the time another game would, if not, push football from the zenith of most favourite sport in the country, or match its popularity and influence.
During the golden age of boxing in the 1950s and 1960s with the prowess displayed by the likes of Hogan ‘Kid’ Bassey and Dick Tiger, many thought boxing is the answer. Others also believe athletics especially the Sprints which are favourite pass time game for many Nigerians would do the trick. Knowing the nostalgia they have for it during their school years as amateurs haven partake one way or the other in the sport.
Shortly after attaining independence, Nigeria began showing her sporting clout and athletics majorly provided that opportunity. Sprinters from the country dominated the short distance races on the African continent and other major indoor and outdoor sporting events internationally. Producing world class athletes like Innocent Egbunike, Mary Onyali, Sunday Bada, Falilat Ogunkoya, Chioma Ajunwa amongst others. At that time, many experts have tipped Nigeria to within a few years become a top sprint nation giving traditional power houses the Americans and Jamaicans a run for their money.
However, at the beginning of the century, after the Sydney 2000 Olympics, the fortune of athletics began to fall. Success rates began to dissipate even in the sprints were she have had competitive edge. Athletes from countries such as Cote d’voire, South Africa, and Botswana began creeping into the area of advantage and winning laurels hitherto seen as her birth rights in the African Championships. This situation left many worrying about what has happened to the nation’s once great pinnacle of sporting achievement, not to mention the dismal performance of the senior male national football team-the Super Eagles in recent outings.
In recent years, one sport that has given Nigerians something to cheer is the game of basketball. First introduced into the country by a sport enthusiast called Valid Zabadne in the 1950’s, had slowly walked it way up into the hearts and minds of Nigerians especially after seeing one of their own, the great Hakeem ‘The Dream’ Olajuwon dominate the NBA in the 1980’s and early 1990’s. In 1992 he became MVP and won the championship with the Houston Rockets. Since that period, the country has produced world class talents at home and abroad becoming a force to reckon with globally.
The male team better nicknamed ‘The Tigers’ won the FIBA Africa competition in 2015 and finished runners up at the last event. They have also qualified back to back to the Olympic Games. The female team equally known as ‘The Tigress’ has won the FIBA Africa Championships three times including the last edition beating the host Mali en route to finals in the semis. Both teams also sit at the top of the African rankings and amongst the top 20 teams globally and also be at the Tokyo Olympics schedule for next year.
At the recent NBA draft, 8 players with Nigerian roots were chosen into the elite section of the game for next season. Two of them in particular, power forward Precious Achiuwa drafted by the this year’s beaten finalist the Miami Heat was born in Port Harcourt, Rivers state. While centre Udoka Azubuike drafted by the Utah Jazz was born in Lagos. These speak volumes of the talents abound in the which she keeps bringing out. The current MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and his brothers Thanasis and Kostas playing for Greek national team have Nigerian parentage.
In the WNBA Nneka and Chiney Ogwumike both Americans with Nigerian roots have also left their footprints in the women’s game with the former a one time champion and MVP and the latter the first black woman and African American explayer to host a show at sport media giant ESPN. In addition, one of the most powerful executives in the game today is Masai Ujiri. President and Chief Executive of the Toronto Raptors, last year NBA champions. Good to note is that the senior men’s basketball team late last month in Kigali, Rwanda played the FIBA African qualifiers. Despite parading a second string side defeated all their group opponents including the host Rwanda to share joint top position with Tunisia.
This point to the facts that if those running the game, the leadership in the NBBF put their acts together, avoid squabbles capable of hindering the smooth progress of the game and put the country first, surely the sky would just be the stepping place for the sport.
The country will be capable of winning laurels, encourage more foreign born Nigerians players to feel free to represent the country, make the game number in the country and attract many sponsors, thus, putting the country on the map amongst the top basketball playing power houses.
Ufedo Emmanuel Atabo
Kaduna
