Oyo athletes excel at tenth edition of African Games Village Foundation's basketball talent showcase

The 10th annual Aminu Good Works Foundation Nigeria Basketball Combine concluded on Sunday at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba, Ibadan, Oyo State, with the announcement of the First Team and two Most Valuable Players, following its commencement on Friday.

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Precious Jude and Ajibade Abraham were bestowed with the Most Valuable Players award, while a 14-member First Team, comprising male and female players, was also unveiled at the event.

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The three-day basketball combine brought together 150 young prospects, including 100 boys and 50 girls, primarily from Oyo State, as well as 15 coaches, with each coach overseeing 10 players.

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Aminu Al-Farouq, the founder of the Aminu Good Works Foundation and a renowned Nigerian basketball icon, reflected on the motivation behind the initiative, stating that it was his way of giving back to his country.

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Al-Farouq attributed his motivation to a higher power, saying he felt an innate desire to give back to his roots, and that he had the ability to do so, which drove his passion for the initiative.

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He expressed his commitment to continuing the initiative, which has been running for 10 years, and his belief in the potential of his team to achieve remarkable things.

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Al-Farouq initially envisioned the initiative as a means to promote Nigerian basketball on the national stage, with the ultimate goal of participating in the Olympics.

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However, he soon realized that basketball was only a small part of the broader needs of the country, and that his foundation's efforts were just a starting point.

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Since its inception in 2016, the Aminu Good Works Foundation has prioritized consistency, with the exception of one year when the event was cancelled due to COVID, according to Al-Farouq.

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He acknowledged that balancing his full-time job with the demands of the foundation was challenging, but now that he has retired from playing, he can devote more time and focus to the initiative.

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Al-Farouq named the camp "Who is Chief?" with the goal of discovering the next talented young prospect who would emerge as a leader, and he is eager to find out who will be the next "Chief" in Nigerian basketball.

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The 10th Nigeria Basketball Combine is set to continue in Abuja from August 13 to 16, marking the next stage of the initiative.