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What is it about: A basketball camp took place on August 06 and 07, 2022 at the Eya Community Center in Cotonou. Called “Benin Dreams Big”, this camp, an initiative of Lionel Talon in partnership with the NGO Giants Of Africa of the champion of the Nba and President of the Toronto Raptors, Masai Ujiri, is an opportunity given to several young Beninese from 12 to 17 years old to be detected to follow a training in the discipline. In total, 50 young people, including 25 girls, took part in this first Camp, which is part of Giants of Africa’s commitment to develop basketball on the African continent and to empower young people on and off the pitch through education, mentoring and life skills training.
During this activity, technical workshops on passing, dribbling, shooting, marking and educational sessions, all that is needed to insist children to dedicate themselves to Basketball, were held. Launched on Saturday August 6, said camp ended on Sunday August 7. This, on a good note of satisfaction for both instructors, participants and organizers.
What the authorities say : At the end of this activity rich in lessons for the beneficiaries, the promoter of the Eya center, initiator of the project, Lionel Talon made the genesis of the project. “We had the opportunity to meet a few years ago and they told me a bit about what they do on basketball in different African countries and that’s something that really inspired me. I think this place was also born out of that conversation I had with him. Since, in the meantime, I had promised him that we were going to do something in Benin to be able to bring them here so that we could also be part of this great initiative of Giants Of Africa. That’s what really motivated me to pursue this Eya project. Today is really the accomplishment for us because the initial idea is coming together and they are here with us and I think they had a really good time,” he said. He then appreciated the behavior of the young participants. “There was great energy. You can see that the kids are having fun. They are happy and have self-confidence”, he hinted before emphasizing “I think it is this energy that they need to bring everywhere they will go from now on”.
For his part, the Minister of Sports, Oswald Homeky did not hide his joy to see such a project taking place in Benin after the announcements already made by him taking of course into account the government’s vision to make Benin prosper in sports plan. “We announced that our country had taken a good option by joining this League (Nba) which is the most important league in the world in terms of basketball. We said that both the Government and certain private actors like Lionel Talon, who is the owner of the Eya Community Center, were involved so that Benin becomes an essential platform for basketball. This is a reality today through this camp which is organized by this association which is Giants Of Africa which means the Giants of Africa which materializes. It is a detection camp to give birth to these young players the hope that they too can progress if they work and find themselves one day in the Nba, “said the Minister before thanking everyone in particular. Lionel Talon who hosts this camp in his center. “I thank the president of Toronto, Masai Ujuri who is here with all his team, without forgetting the president of the Beninese basketball federation and his executive committee for his involvement in this project and say that I am happy for the young people I want. congratulate as well as their parents who let them participate in this camp”, continued the Minister before adding “I want to tell the parents that this way of accompanying the children is the best encouragement so that they can give themselves and continue to work on a sporting level”. Also in the game, the president of the Beninese basketball federation, Ismahinl Onifadé said he was overjoyed. “Frankly, I am a fulfilled, happy president. We are lucky to have the luminaries at the level of the Nba and we also have Yan who is an icon. We had everyone’s support to make this camp happen. This is exceptional. This is the very first time in Benin that we have had a camp of this size with Giants Of Africa. It’s a chance”, informed President Onifadé who says he is “certain that in the hearts of these children, something is planted and that in a few years, we will have among them “Yan, “Isabelle Yacoubou” or even more”.Otherwise : At the end of this camp, the best of these young girls and young boys who have shown themselves well have been selected to continue the training.
Anselm NEW YORK
