Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) President Musa Kida and board member Colonel Sam Ahmedu have both bagged FIBA appointments after they were appointed into the Finance and Legal Commissions respectively.

The NBBF President and Ahmedu will serve on the commission for a four-year period.

While breaking the news to the NBBF board, Kida said the latest appointment is a call to service towards the development of basketball on the global stage.

“I wish to thank all my board members for their support since we assumed office in 2017,” Kids said. “Without their support, all the successes achieved would not have been possible. The latest appointment is a recognition of what we have achieved as a board.”

“FIBA has continued to evolve and introduce more international competitions which means more money will be needed. I hope I can use my contacts to financially help FIBA which will directly and indirectly benefit Nigeria as one of the affiliated National Federations.”

Ahmedu stated that being in the Legal Commission would afford him the opportunity to contribute to the legal aspect of the game in an era where there are conflicts between FIBA laws and that of the national federations.

The legal luminary who served in the Nigerian Army said “apart from conflict resolutions, the issue of eligibility of players would be one of his focal points to enable African teams to secure the services of their players born outside the continent.”

Ahmedu who is a Central Board member of FIBA Africa is also the President of FIBA Africa Zone 3 comprising Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Liberia and Niger Republic.

Echoing the same sentiment, NBBF Vice President, Babs Ogunade said the appointments are a validation of the good works being put into basketball development in Nigeria and the continued rise of Nigerian basketball on the global stage.

“We are really excited about these appointments. For FIBA to have deemed Kida and Col. Ahmedu worthy of their membership of these important commissions, I think it’s a welcome development which must be celebrated by all Nigerians.”

Ogunade enjoined all basketball stakeholders in Nigeria to work with Kida to accelerate the development of the game.