SPORTS minister Sunday Dare hosted D’Tigress on Monday and said their victory at the FIBA Women’s AfroBasket in Cameroon is a worthy Independence Day gift to Nigeria.
The Nigerian ladies defeated Mali on Sunday to win the top African women’s basketball title for the third consecutive time.
While hosting the team to reception inside the VIP Lounge of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja on Monday afternoon, the Dare appreciated and congratulated them and the entire Nigeria Basketball Federation family under the leadership of Musa Kida for their feat.
“You have their story, you have their history and you have their journey so far,” the minister said.
“The journey actually took them to the Olympics. Even after the Olympics. The ladies dusted themselves up and they showed that fire in Cameroon.
“I want to congratulate them for winning the AfroBasket trophy and that is gold, you can see the Golden Cup here for the third consecutive time.
“They have shown a rare dominance, the dominance of the women’s basketball terrain by D’Tigress from the African continent. I can say it’s now undisputable. “We have seen how they are also blending the home-based players with the overseas-based players that is the DNA of our sports as a country. Whether it is basketball or football, that blend always works for us.
“I want to thank each and every player, those that went to the Olympics, those that went to Senegal and those that went to Cameroon, that entire team has always done this country proud and I know that they have more victories ahead of them.
“I also thank them for putting Nigeria on the global map of basketball, the same goes to D’Tigers. I can now say that Nigeria is truly a basketball nation.
“We are happy that this is also a benefitting present to Mr President Muhammadu Buhari and the entire country as we are about to celebrate the 61st Independence Day Anniversary.”
Nigeria will clock 61 years as an independent nation on 1 October, less than a week after D’Tigress won the title.
