Chairman/CEO of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) Abike Dabiri- Erewa has hosted the duo of the Naismith Basketball Memorial Hall of Famer Lisa Leslie and two-time WNBA All-Star Chiney Ogwumike in Abuja.
The NIDCOM chairman described the women as strategic and important for the advancement in sports development in Nigeria since they are embedded with skills and resources to groom home-grown talents as a way of volunteerism and giving back to Nigeria.
Mrs Dabiri-Erewa extolled the virtues and enormous energies the women have brought to bear on basketball and have equally inspired younger women.
“Thank you for making us women to believe in ourselves and to realise that you can achieve anything you want,” she said.
Minister of sports development John Enoh, excited about the event put together by NIDCOM to recognise and encourage basketball in Nigeria through diaspora sports, saw it as a step further in rebranding sports development in Nigeria.
Enoh expressed optimism that the Nigerian sports industry would skyrocket into a platform that would promote networking and investment opportunities with who’s who in Nigeria and in the international sports arena especially with the diaspora component which is a huge gold mine.
He commended the diaspora commission for what it does for diaspora engagement while encouraging the female honourees to do more for sports development.
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Chairman, House Committee on Diaspora Affairs Tochukwu Okere expressed solidarity and applauded the WNBA professionals especially the Nigerian-American Ogwumike who has demonstrated passion and love for her country, Nigeria.
Okere asserted that Ogwumike can be counted among the over 50% of Nigerians who have or pursued higher degrees in tertiary institutions, and built a name for themselves that have brought pride and honour to Nigeria.
He therefore urged them to cause a turnaround in basketball development in Nigeria.
A representative of the minister of foreign affairs Samson Itegboje noted that unity, diversity, hardwork and collaboration is needed to achieve an objective diaspora sports development.
Leslie appreciated the warmth she has received since her arrival in Nigeria, adding that the same attitude is seen in Nigerian diasporas which clearly indicates the true friendship, kind and happy nature of Nigerians, asides their diligence, industry and high moral values.
She said basketball had done so much for her and paved way to push for fairness and equality for women in the game, in terms of number, ethnicity and other factors.
Ogwumike commended the leadership of Dabiri-Erewa and NIDCOM management and staff for a well thought-out honour accorded them and promised to give back to Nigeria by accentuating basketball development in Nigeria.
