All eyes will be on the Indoor Hall of the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos, as the journey to discover the next set of basketball stars in Nigeria commences between 21 – 25 August.
Tagged 2023 Olumide Oyedeji Basketball Camp, the five-day event is being organised by the Olumide Oyedeji Youth Foundation (OOYF).
The 22nd edition will bring hundreds of kids from Lagos, Osun, Oyo, Ondo, Ogun, and Ekiti states. Kids from other geo-political zones between the ages of 5 years and 18 years will also participate. According to plans, top coaches across Nigeria have also confirmed their attendance at the weeklong event. Daily activities will hold between 9:00am and 4:00pm.
The Founder of the OOYF, Olumide Oyedeji, informed that all plans are in place for an unforgettable experience for prospective campers. He said the camping will not only focus on basketball training but will also feature curriculums on career choices, personal development, and motivational talks from some friends of the OOY Foundation.
“We are excited about the 22nd edition of the summer camp. It is a platform for Nigerian kids to improve their basketball skills and become better by taking advantage of an organised platform under the tutelage of seasoned and elite coaches. As we are discussing and playing basketball, we will also discuss life outside basketball”.
The South West Zonal representative on the Nigeria Basketball Federation and third Vice President of the Nigeria Olympics Committee said it was pertinent that aspiring basketball players are also aware of prospects such as education and skills outside sports.
Over 25,000 kids have participated and benefitted from the camping exercise since its inception. Some of the beneficiaries included Charles Bassey, currently with San Antonio Spurs in the National Basketball Association (NBA); Joshua Ojianwuna, who plays for Baylor University and two members of the 2023 Women Afrobasket winning D’Tigress team; Balogun Elizabeth and Adenike Adewuyi.
Celebrity dancer and Guinness Book of Record holder- Kafayat Oluwatoyin Shafau, known as Kaffy; Sodiq Abubakar Yusuf (CDQ) and Olanrewaju Ogunmefun (Vector), a Nigerian rapper and songwriter added to the growing list of camp beneficiaries.
