By Jude Opara, Abuja

The Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) has applauded the National Basketball Association (NBA) of America and ExxonMobil for organizing a training and awareness programme with the theme; Power Forward which ended in Abuja over the weekend.

President of the NBBF, Tijjani Umar who was represented by the Chairman of Technical Commission of the federation, Skambo Morrison noted that the exercise has afforded the federation the opportunity of discovering promising young talents that could graduate to play for the national male and female teams, D’ Tigers and the D’ Tigresses.

“What the NBA and ExxonMobil and their partners have done here today is a huge milestone in our quest to truly develop basketball right from the grassroots. Among these young boys and girls, I am seeing great players that will be the next Aminu brothers as well as Nneka Ogwumike who is currently voted as the MVP in the American WNBA.”

Speaking at the clinic, Paul Arinze the General Manager Public and Government Affairs of ExxonMobil said his organization and the NBA are using basketball to enhance education among the young people.

He further noted that the relationship between sports and healthy living is a perfect one because while sporting activities enhance good living, it is only a sound body that can take part in competitive sports.

“What we are doing in partnership with the NBA and Africare is to use basketball to enhance education as well as healthy living. Already we have committed over $15million dollars in the fight against malaria which we know is a major pandemic in sub-Saharan Africa.”

Technical Director of the NBA, Frank Traore in his remarks noted that the the NBA has been at the vanguard of developing basketball in Africa even as he added that their effort in Nigeria has been most successful give. the abundance of talents they have discovered.

He added that the programme was part of the NBA Cares initiative where the league addresses some of the social issues that distract young people in conjunction with internationally recognized youth-serving  organizations using the instrument of basketball.

In his goodwill message, a former Nigerian born NBA player, Kenenna Azubuike who said that the future of the game in Nigeria is bright further told the children that with the game of basketball they stand to have a bright future in life because what they will learn will help them immensely.

“I am lucky to be among some of the young Nigerians to play in the NBA, what I learnt from basketball is still helping me till today even after I stopped playing and I know that if you take seriously what you are being thought here, you will be the better for it. Honestly, the future of basketball in Nigeria is very bright.”

According to him, basketball goes together with education, a reason he said the clinic will be an easier platform to bring the young people together to understand what they can do.