By Joe Apu
Former D’ Tigers Captain Kingsley Ogwudire has condemned in totality the federal government and the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development for withdrawing Nigeria from international basketball for two years.
Ogwudire, a longtime member of the Nigeria national basketball team with appearances at the 1998 FIBA World Championship and FIBA Africa Championship 2005 stated on his Real Talk Show that the federal government is insensitive to players that have pit in so much training only to be withdrawn from key world events.
Obviously petrified by the action of the federal government, Ogwudire noted that the reasons given for the withdrawal were simply out of place.
“The reasons the Nigerian government is putting forward for the ban on basketball are just ridiculous, to say the least. Is it that our players based outside the country are no longer citizens of Nigeria? It’s a lot of sacrifice for us.
“As a player, I know how much I suffered with my teammates sleeping on airport floors for over 12 hours and getting paid peanuts just. And when the government says that players asked for money, my question is it that as players we don’t pay bills? We have our responsibilities too.
“During my playing days, we were paid scraps not worthy of our sacrifices. Our girls that have qualified for the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup have been disrespected by the action of government especially given the heights attained on the world stage.”
Ogwudire called on the Nigerian government to take a second look at the consequences of their action and rescind the ban and let the game grow in the interest of players.
