Nigeria’s U-18 boys’ basketball team has arrived in South Africa for the AfroBasket Men’s U-18 competition.
Ugo Udezue, the head of the delegation, later confirmed that the team was eventually granted visas. The boys arrived in South Africa around noon on Wednesday ahead of their first match against Egypt the same day.
Reports surfaced on Monday that the South African Consulate in Abuja had refused to issue visas to the Junior D’Tigers, causing the team to miss their scheduled trip for the championship and the subsequent FIBA World Championship.
Despite efforts by the Nigeria Basketball Federation, which appealed to FIBA Africa, the South African hosts, and Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Ministry, the visas were initially denied. In contrast, the female team, who were camped in Lagos after returning from Ivory Coast where they won the FIBA Africa Zone 3 qualifiers, were granted visas without issue.
This action by the South African Consulate has sparked widespread criticism from Nigerians on social media, with many expressing their disapproval of the consulate’s initial decision.
