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The President of Comets Basketball Club and former D’Tigers coach Ayodele Bakare has pushed back against calls for peace following the 2026 Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) board elections, insisting that justice and fair play should not be sacrificed for the sake of maintaining peace.
Bakare, reacting to the controversy surrounding the recently concluded elections, argued that those seeking accountability over the electoral process should not be condemned or pressured into abandoning their pursuit of justice.
In a strongly worded statement titled “You Shouldn’t Stop Rape Victims From Seeking Justice, Should You?”, the experienced basketball administrator and former national team coach used a sensitive analogy to emphasise his position that victims of injustice should be free to challenge perceived wrongdoing, even when doing so attracts public scrutiny.
“Not everybody wants peace at the cost of justice and fair play,” Bakare declared, making it clear that calls for reconciliation should not prevent stakeholders from demanding accountability over the electoral process.
He maintained that some people may prefer to avoid public confrontations to preserve peace and convenience, but others may choose to challenge what they consider injustice to ensure that similar situations do not become accepted practices in the future.
According to Bakare, the pursuit of justice should not be interpreted as an unwillingness to embrace peace, arguing that stakeholders who disagree with those seeking redress have no right to vilify or condemn them.
“If you believe that injustice should be tolerated merely in pursuit of peace or convenience, that’s your prerogative. However, that does not give you the right to vilify or condemn those who think otherwise,” he stated.
The Comets Basketball Club President further urged those advocating an end to protests and other challenges to the election outcome to allow aggrieved stakeholders to pursue their grievances through the avenues they consider appropriate.
Bakare reinforced his argument with an ancient Chinese proverb. “Those who say it can’t be done, should not disturb those who are trying to do it!”
His intervention adds to the growing debate surrounding the NBBF elections, which produced Dr Mustapha Abdullahi as the federation’s new president after he secured 40 votes after the other candidates have pulled out the race.
The election has been accompanied by disputes over the electoral process, with concerns raised by some stakeholders about the conduct of the polls and compliance with the federation’s constitution. Calls for accountability and reconciliation have consequently emerged as competing themes in discussions about the future of Nigerian basketball.
Bakare ended his statement with the declaration, “The Oracle has spoken,” signalling his firm position that the demand for justice should not be silenced in the name of peace.
His comments underscore a fundamental question facing Nigerian basketball in the aftermath of the elections. Can genuine unity be achieved without first addressing the grievances of stakeholders who believe the process requires scrutiny?
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