D’Tigress Accuse Sports Minister Of Diverting Bonus And Allowances

• D’tigress accuse Sports Minister and NBBF President of diverting bonuses and  allowances meant for the team
• Threaten to boycott FIBA 2022 world cup if demands are not met

Nigeria’s women basketball team, D’Tigress have accused the minister for youth and sport, Mr Sunday Dare and other Nigerian officials of diverting the allowances and bonus due to the team.

In a video shared by the players on twitter, they accused the president of Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF), Musa Kida, and Mr Sunday Dare of siphoning $100,000 (N41.1million) allowances donated by three banks to Nigeria’s women basketball team for their Tokyo 2020 Olympic participation. The money which was expected to be distributed to each player is yet to be received as well as other bonuses and allowances.

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A player in the team, Promise Amukamara says claims by Mr Kida that the NBBF has paid its players and officials were outright lies as several payments running into thousands of dollars were yet to be paid.

 

Ms Amukamara said their “allowances, stipends, bonuses, training grants and donations made by banks for players, officials and volunteers has still not been paid.”

“We are owed $73,118 by the NBBF, $24,000 from the ministry for the Tokyo grant, and $100,000 dollars from donations from three banks in Nigeria,” Ify Ibekwe echoed.

Another player in the team Ezinne Kalu berated the NBBF and Nigerian government or marginalisation. She also alleged that the only time they show up to support the ladies is for photo ops.

According to Ezinne,

“the outgoing president never really shows up in camp and competitions” to boost their morale and when they have significant issues that make him present, “he only provides vague answers like our concerns are not important to him.”

“Musa Kida was not in Cameroon but somehow he showed up in Abuja for pictures and political gains,”, she stated further.

The players have threatened to boycott the February 2022 FIBA World Cup if their demands are not met.

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