By Samuel Omaenikun
We are called homo sapiens because we are the most evolved of all the species, the word itself stands for thinking man. So it's only right we look at issues from lots of angles before we judge.
The crises in the Nigeria BasketBall Federation rages on and this time took the players of Rivers Hoopers as the victims, as all their hard work through out the season is gone with the wind.
This may all be because of a power tussle and there's only one man to blame, Musa Kida! Yes I said it, Musa Kidda.... But wait is he really to blame???
A wise man once said that there are three sides to a story my side (River's Hoopers), your side (Kidda) and the TRUTH.
In order to get this proverbial truth let's look at things from a different perspective.
Rivers Hoopers
Hard working side, recruited some of the best players in the league, played some fantastic basketball along the way and gave their all.
At the end they qualified for the Super 8 only to be told “you can't participate in the competition” ruining their chances of playing on the continent next year ...
If na you, bros you no vex?
And so all their anger was channeled towards Musa Kidda, the recently inaugurated president of the Nigeria Basketball Federation who also happens to be Rivers State Basketball Association chairman and the man said to be pulling all the strings.
He is said to be the man who stopped the team from traveling for just one reason....
His rival organised it, what sign of disrespect was this, for the state where he is chairman to honour his rival.
So he began to pull strings like the puppet master underground and these strings led to a series of unfortunate events.
To cut a long story short, the Rivers Hoopers team didn't travel, therefore throwing away a successful season.
Musa Kidda
It is no news that two elections where held in the Nigeria Basketball Federation NBBF, Musa Kida winning on one end and Tijani Umar winning on the other end.
However, there was only one inauguration and that was for Musa Kidda’s board.
Yes, the world Basketball body, FIBA stepped in and though they said in a letter that they have not recognised any one of the factions, they would however, until November 30, communicate with the Musa Kidda led board.
It is alleged that there was a gentleman's agreement between both parties that Tijani Umar should run the basketball league till the end of the season before handing over to Musa Kida.
Then the season ended and Umar would not do that and went on to even organise the Super 8 and to make matters worse he sent out press releases calling himself the NBBF President and I guess Kidda couldn't take it anymore so he reacted.
The NBBF board led by Kidda sent out letters to all 8 participating clubs barring them from attending this “illegal” competition called the Super 8 because it was organised by an “Illegal” body.
My thoughts
It is sad and painful that Rivers Hoopers did not participate in the Super 8 after all their hardwork.
And it was a huge disappointment to the players, their fans and coaches to see all their hard work go down the drain.
Many stories make it sound as if Kidda was just hell bent on Rivers Hoopers missing the tournament, that he took it on himself to stop them.
But that is far from the truth.
Eight letters were sent to the 8 teams that were to take part in the Super 8 and of these 8, just Rivers Hoopers decided to obey and follow the instructions of the letter.
The Big question
Why couldn't the Rivers State sports commissioner act in similar fashion as the other state commissioners in the states of the other teams and still let his team travel and be a part of the competition?
What loyalty does he hold to the man that supersedes that of Basketball in the state?
Instead of us branding Musa Kidda an enemy of the state, first we should ask Sports Commissioner, Boma Iyaye questions.
He needs to tell the state why he saw it as mandatory to follow Kidda's instructions to the detriment of the team.
But for now all I can say is sorry to Rivers Hoopers as all their hard work, their dreams and aspirations have gone down the drain all thanks to politics.
We are called homo sapiens because we are the most evolved of all the species, the word itself stands for thinking man. So it's only right we look at issues from lots of angles before we judge.
The crises in the Nigeria BasketBall Federation rages on and this time took the players of Rivers Hoopers as the victims, as all their hard work through out the season is gone with the wind.
This may all be because of a power tussle and there's only one man to blame, Musa Kida! Yes I said it, Musa Kidda.... But wait is he really to blame???
A wise man once said that there are three sides to a story my side (River's Hoopers), your side (Kidda) and the TRUTH.
In order to get this proverbial truth let's look at things from a different perspective.
Rivers Hoopers
Hard working side, recruited some of the best players in the league, played some fantastic basketball along the way and gave their all.
At the end they qualified for the Super 8 only to be told “you can't participate in the competition” ruining their chances of playing on the continent next year ...
If na you, bros you no vex?
And so all their anger was channeled towards Musa Kidda, the recently inaugurated president of the Nigeria Basketball Federation who also happens to be Rivers State Basketball Association chairman and the man said to be pulling all the strings.
He is said to be the man who stopped the team from traveling for just one reason....
His rival organised it, what sign of disrespect was this, for the state where he is chairman to honour his rival.
So he began to pull strings like the puppet master underground and these strings led to a series of unfortunate events.
To cut a long story short, the Rivers Hoopers team didn't travel, therefore throwing away a successful season.
Musa Kidda
It is no news that two elections where held in the Nigeria Basketball Federation NBBF, Musa Kida winning on one end and Tijani Umar winning on the other end.
However, there was only one inauguration and that was for Musa Kidda’s board.
Yes, the world Basketball body, FIBA stepped in and though they said in a letter that they have not recognised any one of the factions, they would however, until November 30, communicate with the Musa Kidda led board.
It is alleged that there was a gentleman's agreement between both parties that Tijani Umar should run the basketball league till the end of the season before handing over to Musa Kida.
Then the season ended and Umar would not do that and went on to even organise the Super 8 and to make matters worse he sent out press releases calling himself the NBBF President and I guess Kidda couldn't take it anymore so he reacted.
The NBBF board led by Kidda sent out letters to all 8 participating clubs barring them from attending this “illegal” competition called the Super 8 because it was organised by an “Illegal” body.
My thoughts
It is sad and painful that Rivers Hoopers did not participate in the Super 8 after all their hardwork.
And it was a huge disappointment to the players, their fans and coaches to see all their hard work go down the drain.
Many stories make it sound as if Kidda was just hell bent on Rivers Hoopers missing the tournament, that he took it on himself to stop them.
But that is far from the truth.
Eight letters were sent to the 8 teams that were to take part in the Super 8 and of these 8, just Rivers Hoopers decided to obey and follow the instructions of the letter.
The Big question
Why couldn't the Rivers State sports commissioner act in similar fashion as the other state commissioners in the states of the other teams and still let his team travel and be a part of the competition?
What loyalty does he hold to the man that supersedes that of Basketball in the state?
Instead of us branding Musa Kidda an enemy of the state, first we should ask Sports Commissioner, Boma Iyaye questions.
He needs to tell the state why he saw it as mandatory to follow Kidda's instructions to the detriment of the team.
But for now all I can say is sorry to Rivers Hoopers as all their hard work, their dreams and aspirations have gone down the drain all thanks to politics.
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