Basketball: You’ve elevated Nigeria’s status globally, envoy tells D’Tigress

Mr Ken Nwachukwu, Nigeria’s Ambassador to Mali, has hailed the Musa Kida-led Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) and the National Women Senior Basketball Team for raising Nigeria’s global status at the 2017 FIBA Afrobasket.

D’Tigress were unbeaten in their seven matches to the final of the continental championship.

This was made known on Sunday in an electronic mail sent by NBBF to the News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) in Abuja.

NAN reports the girls defeated formidable teams, including defending champion, Senegal and the hosts Mali, 48-47 points in their semi-final match on Saturday in Bamako.

Nigeria will have a duel on the court against Senegal again on Sunday, having defeated them in a group match by 58-54 points on Thursday.

Nwachukwu commended NBBF and D’Tigress during their courtesy visit to the Nigerian Embassy in Bamako, Mali.

During interaction with the tram, led by NBBF President Kida, some board members and D’Tigress, the envoy said sport was an element of power.

“In international relations, there is something we call elements of power, they include population, education, minerals, human resources and sports.

“Given your accomplishment at this tournament, you have become part of the power projection of our country, Nigeria,” he said.

The ambassador, at a dinner for the team, said resounding victories recorded after their group games had not gone unnoticed on the streets of Bamako and throughout Africa.

“Your gallantry has again confirmed the giant status of Nigeria on the continent,” he noted.

He praised the new NBBF board for assembling a crop of dedicated players and a sound technical crew which had not only shown commitment to duty but also defended integrity of the country.

He added that the Federal Government was aware of their patriotism.

“Let me inform you that the President, His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari is aware that you are here.

Despite just returning to the country recently, in his usual meticulous self, he knows you are here on international assignment and he is monitoring your progress,” he said.

Nwachukwu urged the team to sustain their winning streak throughout the tournament.

He added that if the momentum showed by the current board was maintained, Nigeria’s basketball would soon become a reference point in the world.

“Coming to Mali and going unbeaten is part of power projection. When you walk as a Nigerian on the streets of Bamako, you walk as a star by what you have done.”

He added that if the momentum showed by the board was maintained, Nigeria’s basketball would soon become a reference point in the world.

Responding, the NBBF president said the dominant performance of the team was due to the new policy statement of his board on athletes’ welfare after their swearing-in.

“In fulfilment of our mandate as a board, Nigerian players all over the world are our clients because without them there will be no basketball federation.

“Players are now free to express their opinion and table their grievances which has given them a new status.

“They now see themselves as an integral part of the system rather than just mere tools in the hands of administrators.”

“The accommodation arrangements during their weeklong camping and prompt payment of their entitlements, have shown that players welfare is paramount to the new NBBF.

“Players and the coaching crew have nothing to worry about than just to play basketball,” Kida said.

He later presented Nwachukwu with a replica jersey of the team during the event.