Oderah Chidom, AfroBasket Champion, Resigns from Nigeria Women's Basketball Team Citing "Lack of Professionalism" by NBF

Nigeria's AfroBasket champion, Oderah Chidom, has decided to step down from the Nigeria Women's basketball team due to what she perceives as a lack of professionalism from the Nigeria Basketball Federation. This comes after the appointment of Rena Wakama, a former national team player and University of Western Carolina alum, as the team's new coach, replacing Otis Hughely who departed last year.

The federation's decision to hold open tryouts for the women's team in Chicago, Lagos, and Abuja from July 8 to 11, just three weeks before the Afrobasket championship, led to the team's withdrawal from the FIBA World Cup. Chidom expressed her disappointment and announced her retirement, stating that she could no longer play for the Nigerian National Team.

Chidom highlighted the Instagram post about the open tryouts as the final straw for her. She criticized the lack of professionalism, stating that she considered herself a professional and found it unacceptable to pay her own way to try out for a team when she believed her resume spoke for itself. She expressed her frustration with the federation's approach, emphasizing that a national team typically invites professionals to compete in a camp, and the best 12 players from that camp form the team.

The 27-year-old player, who values the weight and pride associated with playing for the national team, expressed her disappointment in the federation's conduct, which she felt diminished the significance of representing Nigeria. Chidom compared her experiences with other teams where she witnessed professionalism from management, something she believes is lacking within their own federation. She highlighted the lack of communication, information coming solely from social media, and last-minute arrangements as additional reasons for her decision.

In response to Chidom's statements, NBBF president Musa Kida defended the federation's decision to hold open tryouts, noting that they had done the same in 2017 and successfully built a team that went on to win the AfroBasket in 2019. Kida acknowledged that not everyone may agree with the approach but emphasized that they were making decisions they believed were in the best interest of Nigerian basketball. He also acknowledged that players have the right to make decisions that suit them individually.

Chidom's retirement and her criticism of the Nigeria Basketball Federation shed light on the ongoing issues of professionalism and communication within the organization, highlighting the need for changes to ensure a more conducive environment for the national team.