Six players secure scholarships as Ajayi Elebire basketball camp ends

The programme ended with an All-Star game

The fifth edition of the Ajayi Elebire Elite Basketball Camp ended in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State, on Friday, with six players securing scholarships and the state’s Commissioner of Police, Michael Falade, praising the organisers for providing opportunities for young people.

The four-day camp, which began with trials in Lagos, brought together more than 40 players selected from across Nigeria to compete for scholarship opportunities and improve their skills under the guidance of coaches from Nigeria and the United States.

The programme ended with an All-Star game at the Ekitikete Pavilion in Ado Ekiti.

Mr Falade, who attended the closing activities, said the initiative could help keep young people away from crime by engaging them in productive activities.

“If you look at the rate of people that are involved in crime, they are youths, and for engaging them in this sport like this, at least you have taken them off the streets,” he said.

“And when somebody is engaged, you can never do otherwise; you have to do the right thing. Secondly, this is providing work because when you have the foundation, then there is no way you can miss it.”

Scott Adubato, one of the American coaches invited for the programme and a former coach of the camp organiser, Olalekan Ajayi, said the event gave talented players an opportunity to improve their game.

He said the coaching team worked with the players throughout the camp, introducing them to different principles of basketball and preparing them for the final game.

“The players were prepared every day. We worked on the training. We did everything we needed to teach them different principles of the game. They were very receptive. They played hard to the last game. And I think they earned everything that they earned, especially the MVP and the All-Star players. So, a thumbs up to the organisers,” he said.

Mr Ajayi said the camp was organised in honour of his father, Ajayi Elebire, adding that his own basketball journey began with a similar camp through which he was discovered.

He thanked those who supported the initiative and said it was designed to help talented Nigerian players access opportunities that might otherwise be difficult to find locally.

“Every year we come here, we impact the lives of these Nigerian kids. We have, you know, a lot of talented players; we have five scholarships guaranteed. The sky is the limit. And this is a record call. The NBBF refused to do what they’re supposed to do to get the house in order and do what is good for Nigerians.

“People like me and the rest of them, we’re going to keep coming from America and get these players out of this country. To give them an opportunity that they refuse to provide for them.”

Six players secured automatic scholarships at this year’s camp. They are Ejirinade Neuman, Igwe Ikechukwu, Muiz Salami, Felix Jackson, Destiny Eze and Lucky Anyaorah.

The scholarships are expected to give the selected players opportunities to further develop their basketball careers.

Tunde Eludini is a graduate of the Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife, Nigeria where he studied International Relations. He is a Senior Correspondent coordinating the sports section for PREMIUM TIMES. Twitter: @tundeyeludini