SaharaReporters on Thursday reported that Nigeria’s senior male basketball team has been withdrawn from the 2025 AfroBasket qualifiers due to a lack of funds.
The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi, has berated the President Bola Tinubu-led Nigerian government over the withdrawal of Nigeria’s male basketball team, D’Tigers from International Federation Basketball Afrobasket 2025 Qualifiers over lack of funds.
The team had confirmed its withdrawal on its X (formerly Twitter) handle on Wednesday night, saying that “Despite several 2020 Olympians committing, D’Tigers will forfeit this AfroBasket Qualifiers window due to lack of funds from government.”
D’Tigers were drawn in Group B with Uganda, Cape Verde and Libya in the first window of the qualifiers which will begin in Tunisia on Friday.
The 2025 AfroBasket qualification will hold between February and November 2024.
Reacting to the report of the team’s withdrawal from the tournament on his X handle on Friday, Obi described as unfortunate, saying that many countries are investing in sports as a means of gainful employment for their youths, a source of revenue for their government, and foreign exchange repatriation into their countries from those who are playing overseas, and Nigeria should be striving for a similar situation.
He wrote, “I read, with dismay, the reports of the withdrawal of Nigeria's senior men’s national basketball team, D’Tigers, from the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) Afrobasket 2025 Qualifiers due to lack of funds.
“Unfortunately, such distressing reports can be emanating from our country at this time. Presently many countries are investing in sports as a means of gainful employment for their youths, a source of revenue for their government, and foreign exchange repatriation into their countries from those who are playing overseas, and Nigeria should be striving for a similar situation.
“Sports has become one of the productive sectors of economic development and growth of nations. It therefore remains an integral part of moving the nation from consumption to production.
“Instead of sponsoring political thugs who contribute to the breakdown of law and order in society, such funds should be channeled toward helping our youths discover and nourish their sporting skills.
“In a very diverse nation like Nigeria, where sports has not only remained a critical part of our unity but is also a huge source of youth empowerment, investment in sports remains critical.
“Therefore, attention should be paid to the needs of all sporting endeavours. I urge the Federal Government, the Federal Ministry Of Youth And Sports Development, and other relevant agencies to expedite actions and urgently resolve this issue to enable our national basketball team, D’Tigers, to participate in the competition and be motivated to bring us victory.”
https://twitter.com/PeterObi/