Felix Akiga, a thoroughbred athlete who metamorphosed into an astute administrator, left his mark in the Nigerian basketball scene. He came into contact with basketball as a young boy and went on to play for Borno, Benue, Bauchi and then Gongola states, winning the national division championship with Benue Braves in 1987. The same year, he played for the national team at the African Championship in Kenya. A versatile athlete, Akiga also played volleyball, badminton and did the 100 metres and 440 yards sprint for his schools. He also played professional basketball abroad for Crown Montana in Switzerland, and in England for Corby Fliers, Cardiff BC and Barnsley, narrowly missing the chance to represent England in the Commonwealth Games in Malaysia in 1998. He told ADEYINKA ADEDIPE that the slam and dunk game made him what he is today.WAY before his primary school days at Mkar in Gboko, Benue State, Akiga took to liking sports as a young boy who grew up in the premises of the Christian Teacher College, where he watched missionaries from Michigan, United States (U.S.) play basketball.He started by picking ball for the missionaries, who must have made an impression on him, and soon got fascinated by the slam and dunk game. He began to dream of a time he would become adept in the game, even before taking his first shot.To realise his dream, Akiga always stayed back after the missionaries had had their session and would try out what he had seen them do, which he said, was his first step to acquiring skills that took him to the top of his basketball career.'Growing up in Mkar was very eventful because of my early exposure to the game of basketball. My father worked for the missionaries and we stayed in the premises of Christian Teachers College, where I developed my love for basketball,' he revealed.When it was time for school, Akiga got into NKST Demonstration School in 1976. There was no facility for basketball at NKST, so he quickly switched to football and soon became a dependable goalkeeper and, 'by the time I got into primary school, I was good at using my hand and became a goalkeeper.'The transition was quite easy and the skills I acquired while manning the post also came in handy when I went for basketball practice after school.'He soon became the darling of his team-mates and his peers, displaying his prowess in several inter-local government competitions in the old Benue-Plateau State, going ahead to play in the final when he was in primary six. As he explained, 'it was very exciting playing football for my primary school because it brought out another side of me and that was how I began building my versatility in sports.'At NSKT, I was the goalkeeper and my memorable game came against a neighbouring school that defeated us in the final of the inter-local council football competition. It was a bitter experience, but it was a game that stood out for me. We were committed to what we were doing and sports instilled discipline in us back then.'He and other boys looked up to the late Terdoo Sater, who was the school captain. While at NSKT, he got involved with tennis by watching members of the National Youth Service Corp (NYSC), who were camped at Teacher College. He started playing tennis before he left NSKT.After primary school, he got admission into St Augustine Teachers College in Lafia, in present-day Nasarawa State in 1975. At St Augustine, he reunited with his first love, basketball, and also played volleyball, badminton, did the 100 metres and the 440 yards, representing his house and the school at different regional and national competitions.He said: 'At this level, sports provided fun but it was something you needed to engage in because you got incentives as a sportsman. Extra meals and exemption from the early morning manual labour were some of the things we enjoyed.'He rose quickly through the ranks at St Augustine's and was drafted into the Benue State intermediate basketball team, which took part in 1977 National Sports Festival (NSF) after Plateau and Benue became separate states. For Akiga, his selection was a personal achievement.'I was happy to be part of the team that represented the state at a national event,' he noted. 'It was a personal achievement for me because 12 of us were selected from many that were invited for screening. It was also an honour to be counted among the best. Some of my team-mates were Ibrahim Yakubu, who is now a police officer, and Samuel Biom. I also represented the state in volleyball, badminton and tennis, and I did well.'Akiga had another opportunity to show his talent when he represented his school at the All Teachers College Games, where he played against the later era basketball great, Hakeem Olajuwon. By then, he said, had become a star at the state and national level in the junior category.He won bronze with the school team after the disappointment of not winning any medal at the NSF in 1977. He described the experience he had as wonderful, stating that sports did not affect his class work. He explained: 'We always looked forward to championships during our time and things were organised.'Even when we missed classes due to sports engagements, we had make-up classes, which helped us greatly. I played against the likes of Malilo Sanusa and Danlami Ndatsu, who is the coach of Niger Potters.'Akiga made a return to national competition in 1979 at the NSF in Ibadan. By then, he was a member of the junior Braves of Benue and played for the state in the junior category in Ibadan. Though the team failed to win a medal, playing alongside John Apir, his captain - Texas Icheu, and one Guve was fulfilling. After the festival, he was invited to the junior national team, a call he felt was long overdue.'I felt wonderful knowing that my performances earned me the invitation. I was a bit mature at that time but was very sad when I failed to make the team,' he reminisced, a possible reason he was not deterred despite this failure but continued to move up in his career. He added: 'I was sad missing the cut but took solace in the fact that I was beginning to get the recognition I deserved.'In 1980, he graduated from St Augustine and picked up a teaching job in Benue State at the RCM Primary School, Gboko. His new calling, due to the knowledge he acquired from teaching practice while in school, did not overwhelm him. He, however, admitted that full-time teaching was a different ball game all together. He soon became the school's games master, due to his sports background, for the six months he taught there.When he left RCM, he went to the Nigeria Police College, Maiduguri, where he furthered his interest in basketball. He became a prominent member of the college team and also started playing for Borno State. He got his chance to represent the state at a regional championship and the former coach of the defunct Gongola State, Don Burrel, an American, was so impressed with his performance that he offered him job as a player/coach in the state's sports council.Not one to shy away from challenges, he accepted the offer and quit Police College. He led his new team to win the Nigeria Basketball League zonal play-off, which also had Borno, Bauchi and Plateau states in attendance. In 1982, Akiga led his team to the first phase final of the Division League, which took place in Kano. They played against Leventis, Kano Pillars, Benue Braves, Plateau Peaks and Niger Potters and finished fourth.Again he travelled down to Lagos for the second phase of the final with his team and so much impressed then governor of Benue State, Aper Aku, who gave him an automatic employment, and he started playing for the Braves. At Braves, he had a lot of problems with team-mates, who felt the governor was wrong to have made him their senior in the state civil service. But he was not disturbed by the situation, as he continued to bond with his team-mates all the same.According to him, 'it was a strange situation because most of those who were envious of my higher position were my friends, but I still continued to do my best for the team.' In 1983, Akiga was sacked when the army took over government. He explained: 'I was invited to the national camp in Lagos, where I met the late Rotimi Alakija, Sanni Joe, Gboyega Vidal and Deji Jaiyeola.'But on my way back, the military took over and those who felt I was too close to the former governor terminated my appointment. Another disaster occurred again when I missed the African Championship because I didn't get my passport to the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) on time.'Both disappointments, he said, did not deter him but strengthened him the more: 'Immediately I left Benue, I picked up a job in Bauchi State, played for the basketball team but did not feature in the 1985 NSF, which was strictly for athletes in the intermediate category,' he said.In 1986, Akiga travelled to Aberdeen, Scotland, in search of a club, which did not work out. On his return to Nigeria, he was offered a job in his state but this time, he accepted the offer with conditions. With his influence and connection, he helped build a formidable championship-winning side for Benue State in 1987, bringing in players he knew could do the job.Akiga was the pillar of the team and with his team-mates, he delivered the Division One title to his state. Those in the side included Scott Nnaji, Sunny Osagie, and Emma Imeh, who was the national team captain. He added: 'The governor of the state also gave me the mandate to get good jerseys and shoes for the team while coaches Edward Ameh, Robert Jove, Emma Chagu and Ngofor where in charge of training, and together we delivered the title.'After his heroics with the Benue Braves, he was invited to the junior national team, but he insisted on rather playing for the seniors, which was granted. With players like Lateef Erinfolami, Cairo Ojugbana, Scott Nnaji, John Apir, Deji Jaiyeola and Danlami Ndatsu, the team travelled to Kenya for the African Championship but lost in the quarter-finals to Cote d'Ivoire.He moved to Switzerland in 1988 to play for a city called Crown Montana. It was the beginning of a fruitful European sojourn. He moved to Corby Fliers in England in 1989 and left in 1990. For Akiga, playing abroad was a whole new experience: 'The opportunities were better abroad and player/management relationship was also top class,' he said. 'The challenges were tough because I had to contend with Americans for the two slots for foreign players in my team in England.'He later moved to Cardiff in Wales in 1990 and played there for four years, combining basketball with education and gained admission into the Cardiff University to study Tourism and Leisure Management. He played for the school team, which it did not have a strong basketball programme though.After graduation, he moved to Barnsley in Lancashire in 1994, where in he played for the Barnsley Whispers for two years, gaining promotion to division one. At Corby Fliers, he was the best foreign player for two months while also scoring 72 points against Northampton team in the league.His sterling performance caught the eye of the British basketball authorities, who offered him citizenship, and was invited to the British national team that was preparing for the Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in 1998. Unfortunately, he missed the Games due to the inability of the International Basketball Federation to process his papers on time.According to him, 'it was sad missing the Games but being in the British national team was heartwarming and I got a lot of experience.' After securing his citizenship, he retired in 1998 and took a diploma course in Financial Management and Financial Management and Programming at Chapel Ash Financial Institute in Sheffield.He came back to Nigeria in the summer of 1997 to organise a camp in Makurdi as his own way of contributing to the society. The camps, according to Akiga, reminded him of his days as a young player. However, he lamented the inability of the players to learn new skills.After the camp, he set up a basketball team, the Gboko Giants, which metamorphosed into Gboko Heats. Akiga explained that he set up the club to give players a sense of direction and focus. In the first season, the team won the Savannah Conference and ended third at the National Finals in Lagos.Nevertheless, his decision to move to Lagos and compete in the Atlantic Conference proved costly, as teams refused to play against his team after problems with players-registration rocked the Atlantic Conference in 1998. He explained: 'What happened was that three of my players, who were the best at that time, were registered to play continental with Comets with the understanding that they would come back to my team after the African Club Championship.'But I was surprised when the NBBF said that the players were registered to play in the local league for Comets. After a lot of face-off, the players were told to choose the team they would love to play for and they came to Heats. Their decision didn't go down well with other teams and they boycotted the game involving my team, and I threw in the towel in 1999.'Moves where made to bring me back after my brother, Steven, became the minister, but it was not possible because I had disbanded the team.'He then ventured into the hospitality business with the setting-up of the Royal Choice Inn in Makurdi while he also provides and upgrades modern sporting facilities, especially for universities. He has been involved with the NUGA since 2001.Akiga, who turned 50 recently, said that efforts should be made to encourage basketball players and take the game back to the top, adding that he had allowed his children to pursue their dream and he is bothered that none of them took after him. Akiga, who says he is retiring for the second time, has decided to win souls for God.
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