By Joel Ajayi
Chairman and CEO of Air Warriors, Abduldumajeed Solademi, has called on basketball stakeholders in Nigeria to show greater commitment and seriousness towards improving the sport in the country. Solademi made this appeal on Tuesday during the second phase of the 2024 Zenith Bank National Women’s Basketball League, held at the Indoor Sports Hall of the MKO Abiola National Stadium in Abuja. His team, Air Warriors, suffered a 48-81 defeat at the hands of the Nigeria Customs team.
Solademi, the initiator of the Air Warriors team, highlighted that Nigeria has abundant basketball talent both domestically and internationally. However, he stressed the need for stakeholders to step up and improve the game’s development.
When asked if basketball in Nigeria is progressing, Solademi candidly responded, “Let’s be honest, is this where we are supposed to be in basketball? This is supposed to be the top women’s league in Nigeria, but can you even recognize it as such? Because of our passion and the desire to help the younger generation, we are doing everything we can to keep the girls engaged”.
When pressed for solutions, Solademi emphasized the need for drastic action. “There’s a need for a serious state of emergency in sports, especially in basketball. We need to make changes because many of these young women are being kept off the streets through these activities. When someone is engaged in basketball, they avoid falling into social vices”.
He further pointed out that basketball is a massive industry that can employ many people without requiring substantial financial investment. “These players use their strength and talent, which can be harnessed to grow the sport and create opportunities for many”, Solademi said.
Despite the challenges, Solademi pledged to do everything within his power to improve his team’s performance and secure a continental ticket. “Our target as Warriors is to compete at the continental level, and hopefully, this time around, we will achieve that goal”, he concluded.
