Basketball
By Babatunde Ogunrinde
Lagos Aug. 10, 2018 (NAN) Olumide Oyedeji, Nigeria’s ex-international basketball player on Friday said his annual basketball camp had instilled good moral values and discipline and guided players within ages seven and 18 to discover their talents.
Oyedeji made the assertion in Lagos when he announced that the 19th Olumide Oyedeji Basketball Camp would dunk off on Aug. 28 and end on Sept. 1.
He told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the camp got bigger with every edition and that he was proud of how it had nurtured many youths.
Oyedeji said that youths who were interested in this year’s camp were encouraged to pick up their forms from the Lagos State Basketball Association (LBBA) Office at the Mobolaji Sports Complex, Rowe Park, Yaba.
According to Oyedeji the camp goes beyond basketball as many that have been part of the training programme have gone ahead to become doctors, lawyers, engineers and professional dancers.
“The camp is aimed at enriching the lives of Nigerian youths and to enlighten them about education and socio-development skills.
“We plan to use sports as a tool for the empowerment of young Nigerians, and help to identify and develop young talents, instill discipline in them and teach them the importance of self-belief and team work.
“Over the years, many of the camp alumni have become professionals in other industries such as medicine, law and even entertainment,’’ the former Seattle Supersonics of U.S. player said.
NAN reports that no fewer than 100 players produced by the camp have gone ahead to play in the national basketball league, the European Basketball League and the U.S. NBA.
Among the best that have come out is Danile Ochefu of the Washington Wizards who featured for the silver medal-winning D’Tigers team of the 2017 Afrobasket Championship in Senegal/Tunisia.
Oyedeji during his professional career which spanned over 19 years, played in the U.S., China and several Europeans clubs winning several championship titles.
He was the longest D’Tigers captain who played a big role in representing Nigeria at the world stage, especially at two World Cups and the Olympics.
He captained the side that won Nigeria’s first ever men’s major trophy in basketball which is the 2015 Afrobasket championship in Tunisia.
Oyedji is a world basketball ruling body FIBA Ambassador of the game; he is also the Ambassador of PEAK, a Chinese sportswear/sports equipment company that designs, develops, manufactures, distributes and markets sportswear products.
He is also is the proprietor of the Hoops and Read Basketball club which participates in the Nigeria basketball league. (NAN)
BAO/PDE
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(Editing by peter Ejiofor)