Arrangements are in place for the 21st Olumide Oyedeji Basketball Camp billed for the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.
The event will hold from August 29 to September 3 from 9.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. daily.
According to the organisers, the camp is open to kids from four to 17 years with scholarships on offer for outstanding talents at the end of the weeklong exercise.
Though, a basketball camp, the organisers said resource persons would also be around to talk to campers about career choices and equip them with life skills.
Founder of the initiative, Olumide Oyedeji, said the project, which has produced stars such as former Nigerian internationals, Rasidat Sadiq, Deji Akindele and Michael Eric, is open to children from across Nigeria.
“We are excited to have another unique opportunity to impact kids through the camp after COVID-19 induced break. The importance of this camp cannot be over-emphasised. We are glad about what we have achieved and the quality of talents that have passed through us,” Oyedeji said.
“The camp is not just about basketball. We also invite resource persons to talk to the kids about life and career choices in case basketball does not work out. Some have gone to represent Nigeria such as Churchill Odia (member of the senior national team to the FIBA Africa Championship in 2007).
“Other rising talents include Charles Bassey, currently with Philadelphia Sixers, Efemena Abogidi, who recently got signed by G- League, Samuel Ariyibi (NBA Academy alumni), and Reuben Chinyelu in the NBA Academy.”
Oyedeji highlighted Kafayat Oluwatoyin Shafau- dancer, choreographer, and entertainer, known to many as Kaffy, Sodiq Abubakar Yusuf (CDQ) and Olanrewaju Ogunmefun (Vector) as some of the persons that passed through the camp.
As of the last count, according to Oyedeji, over 40,000 kids from all over the world have participated in the camp.
He added that since its inception, various cities across Nigeria such as Ibadan, Osogbo, Jos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kano, Ado Ekiti, Abeokuta, and Lagos have hosted the camp, and over 75 kids receiving scholarships from the Olumide Oyedeji Foundation.
