NAN-S-13
Foundation
By Chinenye Nwabia
Lagos, June 19, 2017 (NAN) A product of the Milo Basketball Championships, Oladipupo Balkis, on Monday said that Nestle Nigeria Plc was a dependable ally in basketball and development in Nigeria.
Balkis made the assertion in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sidelines of the ongoing 19th national finals of the Nestle Milo Secondary School Basketball Championships in Lagos.
She added that the competition had provided an avenue for budding talents to showcase their skills.
“The Nestle Milo Basketball tournament which has been going on for years now is one that promotes the need for sports for youths in secondary schools.
“This tournament, organised by the company’s brand, Milo, is a commendable one and I want to categorically say that Milo is a dependable foundation for basketball in Nigeria.
“It gives the needed platform for young talents to showcase their skills and grow in the sport and a lot of basketball players who are stars today were discovered through this competition,’’ Balkis told NAN.
On how she started the game, Balkis told NAN that she was a Point Guard and played for Yejide Girls Grammar School, Molele in Ibadan.
She added that she participated in the championships’ 2013 and 2014 editions.
In the same vein, Yemi Abiodun, the coach of the Oyo State team participating in the championship, told NAN that without Nestle Milo there would be no veritable grassroots basketball competition.
“Nestle Milo has really put in a lot of efforts in organising this basketball championships for secondary school students. It shows that there are people who care about the youth in this country.
“Basketball is a good game and besides football, it is the next best game. Milo is trying to keep the sports alive among youths and I can say that without them there will be no basketball in Nigeria.
“So far, the company has been the only one doing this for years and no other organisation has done as much as it has in this regard.
“Nestle is catching the talents young and a lot of them have gone far from here in their careers as basketball players,’’ Yemi said.
A spectator, who identified herself as Oyindamola Pinheiro, told NAN that the Nestle Milo basketball championships are one that schools should be encouraged to participate in.
“The Nestle Milo basketball championships have been a wonderful one and I have followed six editions of it.
“I have a son who has participated in it and I have seen lots of youths becoming stars from it.
“However, more participation is needed as I believe there are still some schools that are not aware of this championship.
“They should find a way to create more awareness, hold meetings with the sports representatives of these schools so that participation will be encouraged.
“I believe that if a child cannot make it in academics, he should be able to make it in sports.
“You find that at the end of the day, neither the child nor the parents gets to lose,’’ Pinheiro added. (NAN)
CHI/ERO/PDE
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(Edited by Emmanuel Okara/Peter Ejiofor)