Akiode Hope 4 Girls clinic holds in Lagos

In an effort of giving back and contribute to the development of basketball in Nigeria, ex-international, Mobolaji Akiode has concluded arrangement to stage the second edition of the Hope 4 Girls Basketball clinic/seminar next month in Lagos.

The 2010 edition of the clinic/seminar will take centre stage from March 5th through 10th at the Rowe Park, Sports Centre, Yaba, where raw talents are expected to be discovered.

According to Akiode, initiator of the annual developmental programme, which first edition was held last year in Abeokuta, Ogun State with a consortium of coaches and instructors from Nigeria and the United States of America, this years edition is being staged in conjunction with the Lagos State Basketball Association, LSBBA and is to commiserate with the victims of the recent Jos crisis.

'Hope for Girls 2010 will be staged in Lagos and we are most humble that the Lagos Basketball Association, LSBBA honoured us to be part of their sporting calendar and also to express our sympathy with the people of Jos, Plateau State that lost their loved ones in the recent crisis,' She said.

Akiode, who is a member of the Nigeria senior women national team, DTigress team that won FIBA Africa Championship for Women in 2005 in Abuja revealed that arrangements have been concluded to bring a coach and five players from Jos for the clinic/seminar, as a mark of respect to the soul of the dead, so that they can participate in the clinic.

She disclosed that as part of the programme, an All-Stars Game will be played in the evening of 3rd March with Yolanda Griffith, a WNBA player, who will be the Special Guest during this years clinic, adding that during the clinic the young girls will be taught on skills building, hygiene and other rudiments of the game.

'Our target is eight schools among other randomly selected players between 12-18 years to work with and groom to be sports inclined, especially basketball. These schools will train other players daily. We intend to encourage and expose these players to the latest technique of the game,' the former Nigeria international concluded.

It was gathered that the programme will be aired on ESPN worldwide and be watched by over 200 countries across the globe.