President of Comets Basketball Club of Lagos and former D'Tigers coach Ayodele Bakare has cautioned stakeholders in Nigerian basketball against repeating what he described as mistakes made during the emergence of the outgoing Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) board leadership.
In a statement on the debate over the next NBBF leadership, Bakare questioned the growing influence of individuals who, according to him, have only recently become prominent in the sport. He alleged a familiar pattern was emerging, where a wealthy individual with limited history in basketball becomes involved through clinics, tournaments, prize money and other financial interventions before being presented as a potential solution.
Bakare said he understood why some stakeholders could be swayed by financial support, particularly amid the country's economic difficulties, but urged them to consider the long-term implications. He described the last eight years as, in his view, the worst period in the history of Nigerian basketball administration, and claimed that earlier promises of personal investment did not materialise as expected.
Ahead of the next NBBF election, the former D'Tigers coach said he would prefer a candidate with a lengthy record of grassroots development and youth basketball support, ideally a former player who had "served Nigeria in the trenches." He also identified international acceptance and experience in sports administration as key qualities.
Concluding his statement, Bakare invoked a familiar warning: "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me."
