The Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa, has backed the development of basketball in Nigeria, describing the sport as a major platform for discovering and nurturing young talents, as the Crossover Foundation, in partnership with the Abia State Government, hosts a basketball camp in the state.
The three day camp, which attracted young basketball players, coaches and enthusiasts, is aimed at discovering, developing and exposing young talents from Abia State and the wider Southeast to opportunities within and outside Nigeria.
The programme also features skills development, professional mentorship and talent scouting, with organisers seeking to identify promising young players who could be connected to professional basketball opportunities and educational scholarships abroad.
Speaking during the event, the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa, who described basketball as his passion from childhood, expressed excitement at witnessing young players being exposed to the sport and learning from professionals with experience at the highest level.
“Basketball is one of the most exciting games. People talk about football, and football is good, but I think basketball is better. It is my passion. It is something I have done since I was a kid,” Musa said.
The Minister said his visit to the camp brought back nostalgic memories of his own experiences attending basketball camps while growing up, adding that he was particularly excited to see young children being introduced to the sport.
“I have had opportunities to attend camps like this, so coming here is nostalgic to me. When I first came, I asked if there was a basketball court and I was told there was one. I also asked if there were players and I was told there was a camp. That was why we took time to come here and see, and I am really very excited to see even those little ones,” he stated.
Musa described the camp as a good opportunity for young Nigerians to discover their abilities, stressing that the country was blessed with enormous talents across different fields, including basketball and women’s basketball.
“Nigerians are blessed. We have a lot of Nigerians in basketball and women’s basketball. I think it is another opportunity for people to discover themselves because God has given us a lot of talent,” he said.
“A lot of Nigerians have done so well in basketball, and so many are doing so well in the West. So, I am really very happy with what the governor is doing. I can see all the innovations going on,” Musa said.
“I have been organising basketball clinics all over the country, and I think we have not done any in the Southeast. So, we are looking at the possibility of also hosting one here in the Southeast. I think that is something we want to do,” he disclosed.
“One of the things we want to do in the Southeast is to try and project the Armed Forces in the region. We have sports corps in the Army, Air Force and the Navy, and we participate in competitions, including international competitions,” he explained.
Musa added that sporting opportunities within the Armed Forces were not limited to able-bodied personnel, noting that the military also participates in the Invictus Games for personnel living with physical challenges.
“Not only for those that are fit, we also conduct the Invictus Games for those who are challenged. So, it is for everybody that we want to do this,” he said.
“When people see that, even through sports, they can come into the Armed Forces, I am sure it will encourage them. We are looking forward to having them in,” Musa added.
Meanwhile, President of the Crossover Foundation, Precious Achiuwa, said the initiative was designed to help young players develop their basketball skills while creating opportunities for talented athletes to pursue their sporting and academic careers abroad.
Achiuwa, who plays in the National Basketball Association (NBA), said, “What we have here today is a kids camp, a basketball camp hosted by myself and the Crossover Foundation. We are here to help the kids develop their skills after the basketball game and help them become better players.”
He expressed appreciation to the Abia State Government for its support and partnership, describing the collaboration as instrumental to the successful organisation of the camp.
“The Abia State Government has been a big partner of ours in what is going on today and throughout the rest of this weekend. They have helped make sure a lot of things are working seamlessly, and the partnership has been great. From our end, everything is going well, and we just want to thank the government for being a part of what we are doing,” he said.
Meanwhile, one of the participating players, Odikemmere Divinefavour, described the basketball camp as a major opportunity for young players to learn from an NBA star and gain exposure that could help them pursue their dreams of playing professionally abroad.
“It is a good thing, and I love this. We are happy to have an NBA player here in our state. It is not just a joy for us, it is a big opportunity and an inspiration to us,” he said.
Also speaking, the Abia State Basketball Coach, Chinedu Stone, described the camp as a significant development for basketball in the state, saying the programme would expose young players to professional pathways and mentorship from an NBA-level player.
Stone said the initiative was organised with the support of the Crossover Foundation and its President, Precious Achiuwa, who came to Abia to host the basketball camp for young players.
“Today, we have partners from the USA, the Crossover Foundation, whose president, Precious Achiuwa, came down to Abia State to host a basketball camp for basketballers in the state,” he said.
According to him, the primary objective of the camp was to teach young basketball players what it takes to succeed in the sport, while allowing them to learn from Achiuwa’s personal journey from the early stages of his career to the NBA.
“The aim of hosting this camp is to teach young players and young stars the road to becoming successful basketball players. They will hear the history and story of his career and how he made it to the top.
“Playing in the NBA is the highest platform anybody can play basketball in the world, so it is a great privilege for us in Abia State to have somebody who has reached that level come down here to talk to our young players,” Stone stated.
The Abia State Director of Sports, Mr. Obioma George, also thanked the participants for finding it worthy to be part of the camp and scouting exercise.
George assured that the three day camp would be successful, noting that Governor Alex Otti had provided the necessary support and facilities for the programme, including security and other logistics.
(The Whistler)
