Coach OBJ @ African Basketball Convention

A Virtual Summit Charts the Future of Basketball Development on the Continent

November 15, 2020 – The African basketball landscape took a significant step forward with the second edition of the African Basketball Conversation (ABC), a digital conference broadcast live on Facebook. This crucial virtual summit, powered by The Basketball Arena and BALL Africa, convened top stakeholders from across the continent and the diaspora to dissect the challenges and future prospects of the sport.

The Focus: Coaching in Africa

The conference centered on the theme: “Coaching in Africa: The Challenges and The Future.” This topic is vital for ensuring that the continent’s immense raw talent is properly nurtured and developed to compete on the global stage.

Key Voices and Participants

The event was anchored by influential figures in African basketball:

• Keynote Speaker: Oliver B. Johnson (Coach OBJ)

  • Renowned as the “Godfather of African Basketball,” Coach OBJ is a veteran coach and American Peace Corps alumnus who spent over five decades building the game in Africa, notably mentoring the likes of Hakeem Olajuwon and Masai Ujiri.

  • Coach OBJ is also the founder of the Basketball for Peace (BB4P) project, which focuses on using the sport for conflict resolution and youth development.

  • Coach OBJ’s address, drawn from his wealth of experience at institutions like Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, provided a necessary deep dive into the foundational issues affecting coaching standards.

• Convener: Oluwafemi Adefeso

  • The Founder/CEO of BALL Africa (Balls Activating Literacy and Leadership in Africa), Adefeso spearheaded the conversation. His organization focuses on literacy and leadership development using sports as a vehicle.

  • Adefeso, a respected Nigerian sports media personality, drew on his extensive experience covering basketball across the continent to launch the ABC series, aiming to unite scarce resources and amplify the voice of African basketball.

• Moderator: Silalei Shani

  • The conversation was expertly moderated by TV Presenter/Producer, Silalei Shani.

Discussion Highlights

The digital conference brought together a panel of experts including former NBA Champion Sam Vincent, Angolan men’s national team head coach Will Voigt, and West African Coordinator for Giants of Africa Michael Akubo, among others. Discussions likely revolved around:

• Infrastructure and Equipment: The persistent challenge of inadequate facilities and proper equipment for training and competition.

• Capacity Building: The need for better training and support for African coaches and tutors.

• Early Talent Identification: Creating a sustainable framework to catch every athletic African boy and girl and expose them to the best opportunities, including balancing academics and sports.

• Fighting Fraud: Working to eliminate identity fraud in sports in Africa through early exposure and proper record-keeping.

The ABC is designed to be a major turning point, hoping to attract the necessary attention and investment to propel African basketball to be on par with football on the continent.