Igoche Mark: My Plans for Nigerian Basketball

The Chairman of Mark Mentors, Igoche Mark echoes his passion for basketball and why he thinks is the right person to revive the fortunes of Nigeria basketball. He was put on the spotlight with ex- player, Skambo Morrison and coach Scot Nnaji providing back up. Olawale Ajimotokan reports

How would you describe your passion for basketball and why are you offering yourself for NBBF elective post?
I am the chairman of Mark Mentors Basketball Club of Abuja, Apa Flame Basketball Club of Otukpo, Benue State, founder/initiator Mark D’Ball basketball tournament and former board member of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF). I have been in basketball for so long and most of my friends, everybody I have known are basically from basketball.

My passion for basketball started years back when I actually wanted to play the game to the international level, but somehow I believe that it wasn’t my destiny to play professional basketball abroad. I tried several times and they didn’t work out for me, but then I didn’t give up on basketball.

That I didn’t get the opportunity to go abroad to play basketball, pushed me to start developing basketball locally. I feel that the opportunity that I never had, I can make it happen for the younger generations and that is what keeps pushing me on in trying to provide opportunities for younger players to fulfill their dream in basketball.

“That was what pushed me to start the Mark D’Ball Basketball Tournament 11 years ago. Again my passion for basketball and desire to develop the game also propelled me to start the Mark Mentors Basketball Club, which became the pinnacle of basketball in Nigeria because we came in with a different standard. If you remember then when there was a basketball league in Nigeria, we were the envy of all the teams and everybody wanted to watch Mark Mentors play. We were the only one of the few teams that had foreign coaches and foreign players. We had two foreign coaches and players who were playing for us. We committed so much money to it, time and otherwise to make that happen and we were Nigerian champions.

Looking back, I’m not pleased with the development of basketball Nigeria and that is what is pushing me to rededicate myself to basketball and offer myself for service.

How have you consulted with stakeholders and what is the assurance they will buy into your aspiration?

I am glad to say here that the basketball family is strongly behind me. They share my aspiration and they are with me on this journey because they understand my passion for the game of basketball.
I am eminently qualified and good enough to do the job. That was why after much consultation and pressure to run I decided to offer myself for service.

In the NBBF, if you know how it works you have to be on board first before you can contest for the position of the president just like it is done in the senate where you have to be a senator first before becoming a senate president.
To get on the board, I am coming from the North-central and subsequently vying for the position of the president.

How do you plan to unite a divided NBBF and can you give us insights into your philosophy if elected President?

First and foremost the division in the basketball family right now is much. The basketball family now is even worse than a political party which should not be. We are all here because we love this game and that is enough to unite us. One of the first things I will try to do is to unite the family, we don’t need division. Our strength is in numbers.

Secondly, I will focus on development and when it comes to developing basketball there are a lot of programmes that we would run to develop the game at the grassroots. One of the critical aspects of developing basketball is infrastructure. Basketball, unlike football where you can put two sticks or two stones and you have goalposts and start playing, basketball needs equipment.

So, infrastructural development of basketball is very important if you really want to develop the game and by the grace of God if I am given the opportunity with the collaboration of stakeholder, this is one of the things I will do.

It is a pity that right now Nigeria cannot host any international tournament because we don’t have the gym to do that. A country that is so big with all our rating in FIBA, exposure and players in the NBA and everything that we have, it should not be so. Other smaller countries that are not up a state in Nigeria have gyms and they are hosting international tournaments. We should be able to host international tournaments.

The leagues, local tournaments and championships are very vital in developing the game. It is something that is making people say that if I am given an opportunity I will do it. It is sad that home basketball players are hungry to play. Three days ago, I was going round where private people are holding tournaments and clinics, I could see how they were hungry to play. Anywhere the players hear there is a basketball tournament or clinic they are there because of the hunger to play.

We want to satisfy that hunger by giving them leagues, tournaments and championships so that they can play enough games. It is not okay to just come and run a championship for one week and you said you have played a league. In the NBA, they play about 82 games in the regular season, nothing stops us from doing 52 matches per season. The more games the players play gives them the opportunity to improve.

What is your view about foreign based players dominating the national team roster in major tournaments? Does it help our development?

The problem with our national teams and the reason why we are now depending on foreign players 100 percent is because nothing is happening at home, no basketball development going on here, no league, no championship and how will you see home based players playing for national teams or see them improve.

Before now, I remember very well that one of the things we used to look up to as players is to play for Nigeria whether at the junior and senior level or whatever the case may be. When you are working out, playing, your ultimate goal is to be invited to the national camp and when the players are in camp, we see them playing, training and it motivates us to work harder to make the team.

But at the moment there is no hope and that is the reason we are now relying 100 percent on our foreign based players because they are playing regularly somewhere for their clubs and it is easy for us to just call them and assemble the team to and play. Then because they are based there we don’t even bother to bring them to Nigeria for training camp, we assemble them there to go and play for Nigeria and Nigerians don’t know the players.

We can’t develop basketball if we continue that way. We have to focus on home and develop our league. National teams’ camps must start from Nigeria. Anybody wanting to play for Nigeria must come and start camp from here. Even the home based players will have the opportunity to train, play and interact with the team. Seeing the national players training or watching them alone will encourage home based players and they would look forward to being like them. That was what we were used to before and we have brought that back.

How do you intend to handle the issue of government’s interference in the affairs of the federation?

NBBF is one of the 37 sports federations under the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development and as such we cannot operate outside the supervision of the federal government because we are in Nigeria and even when we go out there, we go there to represent Nigeria. So, we will be in close harmony with the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports…

…Skambo cuts in

Concerning if he has experience running, it is right to put on record that we are in a season of not-too-young-to- run. And every other person has been the president of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) one way or the other, they were given an opportunity. If you speak about experience you can’t get it outside the job. Besides that he has been very much around basketball as a player, developer, entrepreneur and so on supporting the game. So, it is not just about passion now, he has what all it takes to turn things around for the betterment of Nigeria’s basketball but there is no way he can change things for better if the opportunity is not given to him.

So, I feel that in the place of experience, he is vying for the position of NBBF presidency at an older age because every other person that has been there started earlier than him.

He also has a very strong background as somebody who has worked with lawmakers and he strongly understands how things work. There is nothing impossible for someone who handled local things and participated in international engagements.

Concerning the foreign based players, he is so passionate about getting home front working first and that has been his passion for a long time. We are supporting him because we heard ‘let get home working first’.

He also mentioned having national teams camp in Nigeria, I was privileged to play for Nigeria and I was part of the team that decamped foreign players when they came. So, these opportunities are still there but until it is exploited you can’t find it.

Scot Nnaji Contribution

He is not going to work alone. We are brought into this and the Mark D’Ball Championship that is coming up because he knew that technical people need to be part of his course. So, we are ready to assist to make sure we grow the game.

I believe since he recognizes other people in their own right and experience if they bring it together with what he has as a leader we will be able to conquer all things. I have been in the game for a long time as coach and I have been to all the championships be it World Cup, Olympics, Junior Championship and all that. I know I have gotten the experience and for him calling me to come and join him to make sure that things work well, I will do all I can to assist. That he has recognised that means he knows he can’t do it alone and he needs to bring complete hands to help him.