By Joel Ajayi
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Gwabin Musa, has reaffirmed his commitment to using basketball as a tool to empower Nigerian youth, foster unity, and combat insecurity. He made this known during the final of the Democracy Day U-18 Basketball Championship held in Abuja.
Speaking at the end of the five-day grassroots tournament which he personally sponsored, the CDS expressed satisfaction with the progress made in this year’s edition and outlined plans to further develop the sport across the country.
“Basketball is improving every year. This time, we decided to focus on the U-18 category to give young talents a platform to shine. Next time, we’ll expand to older age groups as well,” General Musa said.
He emphasized that grassroots sports, especially at the secondary and primary school levels, were once vibrant avenues for youth development, and reviving such platforms is critical in engaging young people and keeping them away from negative influences.
“Sport is one of the best ways to keep our youths engaged. When they are active and focused, they’re less likely to be lured into crime or other harmful activities. As members of the security forces, we understand that idle youth are vulnerable. That’s why we are using sports as a tool for national security and peacebuilding,” he added.
General Musa also announced plans to take the championship to other geopolitical zones in Nigeria, with the Southwest—likely Lagos or Oyo state—being the next stop by Independence Day, October 1. He revealed that the ultimate goal is to host tournaments across all six geopolitical zones before the end of the year, promoting peace and unity through basketball.
“We are preaching unity through sports. There are people trying to divide us, but we must not allow that. As Nigerians, we must stand together and build this nation.”
While commending the players, the CDS noted areas needing improvement, particularly in the technical aspects of the game. He pledged to organize coaching and refereeing clinics ahead of the next tournament to enhance the standard of play.
“We noticed some rough edges in the players’ performances, which tells us they need better exposure and training. So before the next championship, we’ll host clinics for coaches and referees to boost their capacity. That will help the players improve too,” he stated.
General Musa, however, expressed disappointment that two states in the North Central region—Kogi and Benue—did not participate in the tournament despite being invited.
“We’ll follow up with the states to understand what went wrong and ensure every state is fully represented in the next edition,” he assured.
Reflecting on his passion for talent development, the CDS said his drive comes from seeing the potential in young people and the need to provide them with platforms to succeed.
“Many of us benefited from opportunities like this when we were young. Now, it’s our responsibility to give back by creating avenues for the next generation to grow. That’s what motivates me,” he said.
With two successful championships held in the past year and a third already underway, General Musa reiterated his unwavering mission: “We want to spread basketball across the entire country as a tool to help and uplift our youth.”
