Olumide Oyedeji Distance Self From Negative Reports Against Sports Minister

D’TIGERS captain, Olumide Oyedeji, has denied reports in one of Nigeria's tabloids claiming the captain wasn't happy about sports minister's meeting with the with members of the Africa Basketball League in London.

"I didn’t even grant the reporter an interview; we were just talking. I felt very disappointed and

betrayed; I never said anything like that. As a board member (of NBBF) I want peace and not to cause controversy."

"I have been with the national team for the last 20 years; I don’t want to be used as a political tool,” Olumide said.

"I tried to see the minister as Team Nigeria captain when he was in London and couldn’t but the minister called me and said he wanted to see me. He asked my opinion on the issue and I showed him the statutes of FIBA. The minister even asked me to see him in Nigeria but I’m surprised at the report."

Oyedeji, who led D’Tigers to their first appearance at the Olympics four years ago, said he had a good relationship with the founders of the ABL Obinna Ekezie and Ugo Udezue.

"Obinna is a good friend of mine; we played together in the national team and against each other in the NBA. I and Ugo went to the same university and we played together."

"My thinking is that the players can make more money and better their lives. In some countries they have three leagues and none disturbs the other. We can do that too. I don’t see why we can’t work together. I don’t belong to any caucus; I’m a basketball player." Punch