By GBOLAHAN DADA,GEORGE ALUO, JOE APU and IKENNA OKAFOR
Captain of Nigeria's men basketball team to the London 2012 Olympics, Olumide Oyedeji, says that the 27th FIBA African Championship scheduled for August in Ivory Coast, will not be a walk in the park for the respected teams in African basketball.
The well-travelled star revealed this to Daily Sunsports during a visit to the organisation headquarters in Lagos recently.
You have played basketball in a number of countries, from your experience, what do you think about the game in Nigeria and Africa?
The game is improving and I believe that the continent will get there some days. Nigeria is a big country, but we are lagging behind because of the lack of facilities. Angola can boast about continuity which is the reason for her being highly rated in the continent.
The African championship comes up in August, what are the chances of Nigerian basketball team?
Everybody rates Angola high in African basketball, but we have forgotten that Cameroon knocked us out in 2009 and Mali has always been tough for us. Angola is secondary for now as we are focused on the teams in our group. Angola may not qualify for the quarterfinal, but if we meet them, we will cross the bridge because we'll respect our opponents. We want to focus on the teams we have in our group and qualify for the next stage, then we can start thinking about any other team in the competition.
Tell us the countries that you feel may pose a threat to Nigeria's success at the championship?
I believe that all the 16 countries are good enough and that is the reason for their participation in the final event. I see Cameroon as a big threat, but in all, the competition is going to be very tough. Cameroon stopped us in 2009 and Mali has been a very hard nut for us to crack in our recent meetings. You cannot ignore the North Africans as well. Angola will come out to try and musle her way through, but I still don't think that she is a threat.
We have heard much about the Olumide Oyedeji Foundation, can you explain what it is now?
Well, we are trying to give the best and make sure that we sustain the momentum with which we started the foundation.
What we are trying to achieve now is to restrategise and put everything on the right track. We have a youth foundation with special focus on education and sports developlment. We also have the 'Read To Suceed' programme where we lay great emphasis on the importance of education among youths. Also, we will organise career talk and motivational speech seminars with the motive of taking the youths away from crime related activities and the issue of drugs.
Much has been said about basketball coaches and the need to improve on ßthe game in Nigeria. Do you think we need a foreign coach for the national team?
No, we don't need a foreign coach. For me, a foreign coach is zero. We have a great coach in Ayo Bakare. He is the first African coach to qualify both the male and female teams of a country for the Olympics. He is a good coach and a better manager. I think he is only second to Palmer of Angola. He is also trying to bring in the home-based players and harness their potentialities just as we have in football with the Super Eagles.
What do you think about sports administration in Nigeria?
We don't need a square peg in a round hole. We don't need a pharmacist to boss those who know about sports. We need people that are absolutely passionate about the game. I mean those who are willing to shed blood for the game of basketball or any other sport. I am happy with the present Minister of Sports, Mallam Bolaji Ibrahim. His achievements so far, are laudable. He wants to change the face of sports in the country and Ithink he is on the right track. He is doing the right thing and I hope would be given the opportunity to complete the good works he started. Another man I admire his administrative quality is the Lagos State Commissioner for Sports. I am happy with the efforts he is making. I have met with him and we had a wonderful discussion on his dreams for sports in Lagos State.
Let's talk about your family. Would you allow any of your children to play basketball?
I will not choose for them, but they know that edducation is paramount. I do tell them that they must be educated if they want to succeed in the game because it will help to shape their attitude when the y become professionals. Now, my son plays basketball. He is in junior high school, but my girl plays all kinds of sports. May be when she grows bigger, she would make up her mind on what to do. I gave my last baby basketball at birth.
Via: Sun News Online