Former D’Tigers coach and President of Comets Basketball Club of Lagos, Ayodele Bakare, has warned stakeholders in Nigerian basketball not to repeat the mistakes that led to the emergence of the outgoing leadership of the Nigeria Basketball Federation, NBBF.
Bakare stated this on Wednesday in a press statement released by the Nigeria Basketball Network, as debate intensifies over the next NBBF board.
In the strongly-worded statement, he questioned the sudden prominence of certain individuals in the basketball space, alleging a familiar pattern where wealthy figures with little history in the sport gain influence through clinics, tournaments, prize money and other financial interventions.
“Do you remember the things that swayed us to settle for our outgoing NBBF Board President?” he asked.
Bakare said he understood why financial support could be tempting for stakeholders given the country’s economic hardship, but urged them to look beyond immediate gains.
He described the past eight years under the outgoing board as the worst period in Nigerian basketball administration, alleging that promises of personal financial investment in the sport did not materialize and were later replaced by talks of loans and refunds.
On the qualities needed for the next NBBF president, Bakare said he would back a candidate with a proven, long-term commitment to grassroots and youth development over one with only recent interventions.
“I would rather give my support to someone who has been running grassroots programmes and supporting youth development for the past twenty-five years, than someone who has recently dazzled with a few well-placed interventions over the recent year or two,” he said.
The former national team coach added that he prefers a former player who has “served Nigeria in the trenches” and understands the challenges faced by young players, alongside international acceptance and proven experience in sports administration.
“I would rather support someone with a proven track record and experience in sports administration, than someone whose sudden overnight interest in heading Nigerian basketball administration, I can’t explain,” he said.
Bakare warned that short-term financial inducements should not determine the future of Nigerian basketball for another four-year cycle.
“The script is familiar, especially as it is promoted by the same people who rode on it to enslave Nigerian basketball for the last eight years,” he stated.
He concluded with: “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me! I remember. Do you?”
