*As PanAfricare’s Jr. NBA clinic and Power Forward 2022 third-place games hold in Abuja

By Joseph Erunke

ABUJA–THE ExxonMobil, NBA Africa and PanAfricare’s Jr. NBA clinic and Power Forward 2022 third place games in the girls and boys’ divisions, took place on Wednesday,at the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja.

The ninth edition of the event which is the initiative of National Basketball Association,NBA, through its youth development initiative Power Forward , PanAfricare and ExxonMobil to take teachings of health literacy and life skills through basketball to secondary school pupils in Abuja, took place with players drawn from participating schools in the Federal Capital Territory.

Recall that the initiative in its 9th season, included community outreach, motivational sessions as well as health talks by medical experts and basketball clinic with some former NBA champions.

The event was attended by ExxonMobil, Business and Government Relations Manager, Adedoyi Adelabu; NBA Africa Vice President and Country Head for Nigeria, Gbemisola Abudu; PanAfricare Country Director for Nigeria, Dr. Patrick Adah; and 1992 NBA Slam Dunk Champion, Cedric Ceballos.

Speaking at the event,PanAfricare Country Director for Nigeria,Dr Patrick Adah,said the expectations of the partnering group was that
some of the students will metamorphose into being players for Nigeria.

He said:”This project has even produced alumni who are making impacts. It has impacted them and made them achieve their aims in life. We have also produced some basketballers in Nigeria, that is, those who have participated in various championships. It ignited their interests in basketball.

“Also, most of them engaged in the project are the best behaved students in their schools. We have about thirty students per school. The project attracts talents yearly in the NBA like Cedric Ceballos. We hope that some of the students will metamorphose into being players for Nigeria.

“As part of its vision to influence and grow the next generation of Nigerian basketballers, and influence the basketball ecosystem in the country, the National Basketball Association (NBA) organized the ninth edition of the Power Forward games.”

According to him,”The Power Forward Project, which was done in collaboration with ExxonMobil and PanAfricare, has expanded over the years to include 40 schools in Abuja, with over 200,000 youths impacted positively since its inception in 2013.”

Also speaking during the finals of the games in Abuja, the NBA Africa Vice President and Country Head of Nigeria, Gbemisola Abudu, described Power Forward as “an incredible programme.”

” It is focused on young adults in Abuja for them to acquire life skills through the lens of basketball. The goal is to roll out an expanded programme like this to other parts of the country because when it comes to talent development, it starts from a very young age.

“This is part of a big plan for the NBA. The NBA opened its third office in Africa in Lagos at the beginning of last year.

“This demonstrates the commitment of the NBA and the belief it has in the Nigerian market, that is, from the talents development perspective. In the history of the NBA, we have had about 120 players of African heritage, and more than half of those have been Nigerians. That has signaled year-in-year-out the importance of Nigeria to the NBA.

“We also talk to the parents. We have partners and stakeholders forums. We are hoping to have a parents’ forum also. However, we have consent forms that the parents fill to enable the students to participate in the games,”she said.

In his remark,Cedric Ceballos, 1995 NBA All-Star and 1992 NBA Slam Dunk Champion, appealed to parents not only to support wards but encourage the dreams to become professional basketballers.

He said contrary to claim, engagement of children in basketball activities was not a hinderance to their education.