Olajuwon Returns Home NBA Hall of Fame legend, Hakeem Olajuwon on Tuesday returned to Nigeria, after many years of his sojourn in America, as he made a trip home to pilot the “Power Forward” initiative, a program sponsored by NBA, WNBA, Exonn Mobil and Africare to foster life skills and build health knowledge through basketball. ‘The Dream’ was cynosure of eyes in 10 Abuja schools alongside WNBA All-Star/American Basketball star, Swin Cash and NBA Vice President, Development – Africa, Amadou Gallo Fall. He speaks on the initiative and other salient issues. SportsDay Deputy Editor, EMMANUEL TOBI, who was in Abuja, serves excerpts… Home Return I do want to return home but I’ve been waiting for the right time because to bring people together, you got to have the right team. It is not about assembling people but it takes partnership at different levels to really make that impact and to sustain it over the years. It should not just be about organizing a program that cannot be sustained. So you need corporate sponsorship like these to make it happen with every one playing their roles. So I m very happy that it is happening now. For me it is an opportunity to make that impact. I was one of the beneficiaries because it was project like this that gave me the opportunity to travel to the United States of America. So it is laudable and we got to do it right. Future of Stars This is the pilot edition and you can see the enthusiasm in the faces of the kids. It is the African vision to select ten schools in Nigeria before taking it across the country. The intention is to make basketball the second after football in Africa. So this children can be top players in any field if they take this opportunity seriously. Power Forward Basketball Clinic Well for me I think it is great opportunity from the leadership of NBA Africa. It is a dream for me really thinking of the NBA coming to Africa to develop basketball. These students and young kids are the beneficiaries. They have the potentials they might not end up playing professional but it would have been a worthwhile experience. They can also through basketball get scholarships to study in the Universities outside this country and most importantly developing skills that will help them fit into the different spheres of career part they have chosen. Sustainability These are different organization that have come together to be involved in this, institutions as NBA Africa, ExxonMobil, Africare, I mean these are institutions with a vision. So any projects that emanates from institutions like these are easy to maintain because they are professionals and are determined to move forward. Life After Retirement I live in Jordan with my family but I have also been very active, staying in shape attending programmes like this all over the world, especially with this holding in Nigeria which is the pilot edition to the whole of Africa is a big honour. I’ m so happy to be back home. London 2012 There were lots of talents in the team. The kids played well but lacked the experience. With experience they can do better. That was the beginning of great things to come in the future for Nigerian basketball. With conscious efforts geared towards organizing deliberate programmes that will impact positively on the children then the future of basketball in Nigeria is secured. Victor Oladipo There’s this young Nigeria player in the NBA Victor Oladipo and well, the young man is in the NBA right now trying to sought himself out. He is in the draft, great kid, I think he will make a great impact in the NBA because his style of basketball is energetic I really like him. I hope we can help him through. Advice To Kids I will say they have to be focused because basketball is just a vehicle to becoming great in life in any field. Basketball is capable of bringing institutions together for the benefit of the children so they have to take advantage of every of such opportunities. No Regret I don’t have any regrets playing basketball because contrary to what many people think, I did play for Nigeria. How did I get the scholarship to the United States? I captained the Nigerian team to Angola before playing for the USA. Houston Rocket performance I think they did well but now that we have acquired James Hadden and Dwight Howard Haward, two great players with a combination that can compete for the NBA Championship this term. The owner has vowed to pay whatever it will take to get the result and that is what they have going for them right now.
Posted on: Fri, 22 Nov 2013 15:39:24 +0000
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