The Obuama Boys representing King Amachree Sports Academy (KASA) have etched their name into Nigerian basketball history, winning the national crown at the country’s most prestigious secondary school competition. The team’s rise was guided by Da Amakiri Tubo, alongside Alhaji Mujahid Abubakr Dokubo-Asari, Amanyanabo of The Source, as well as Elem Kalabari and Torusarama Piri.
From Obuama in Rivers State, KASA claimed the boys’ national title, while Government Secondary School (GSS), Gboko in Benue State, finished as winners of the girls’ event. The finals unfolded at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium in Surulere, Lagos, as the 26th edition of the Nestlé MILO Secondary Schools Basketball Championship concluded last Thursday.
GSS Gboko dominated the girls’ final, overwhelming their opponents 68-36. The boys’ championship, though, produced one of the most thrilling endings in the competition’s history, with King Academy Sports Academy mounting a late surge to knock out defending champions Father O’Connell Science College, Minna, by 56-54.
The tournament featured top secondary school outfits from across Nigeria, with teams earning their places through months of regional qualifying rounds. For many observers, the results again highlighted MILO’s long-running commitment to grassroots basketball and youth development.
This success also marked the seventh year of KASA’s participation in the youth basketball championship.
With the title secured, KASA is now set for a major transformation through a partnership with EEXSport Digital Company Limited, a leading Nigerian sports management and development firm. The company is led by veteran sports broadcaster and administrator Emeka Enyadike.
The announcement follows KASA’s remarkable performance at the 26th Nestlé MILO Secondary Schools Basketball Championship, where the Rivers State academy stunned Father O’Connell Science College, Minna, to win 56-54 and take the national boys’ crown.
The triumph served as a landmark for the academy and a confirmation of long-term efforts championed by Dokubo-Asari through investment in youth development supported by education and sport. After regional qualifiers narrowed the field, KASA emerged as the new boys’ champions among the best secondary school teams nationwide.
Speaking after the historic win, Dokubo-Asari framed the achievement as the opening chapter of a larger ambition rather than the end of a journey.
“We are proud of what these young boys have accomplished, but our ambition goes far beyond winning national championships. Our goal is to build an institution that will consistently produce champions, scholars and leaders who can compete anywhere in the world,” he said.
To turn that ambition into reality, the academy has agreed a five-year strategic partnership with EEXSport Digital Company Limited. The sports consultancy brings experience across sports administration, commercial development, athlete pathways and international connections.
At the heart of the plan is Emeka Enyadike, widely regarded as one of Africa’s most accomplished sports practitioners. Across a career spanning more than three decades, Enyadike has built a reputation as a sports broadcaster, football analyst, publisher, sports marketer, club administrator and development consultant.
He also helped shape modern sports journalism and football administration in Nigeria through work in television, sports publishing and football management. As Founder and Chief Executive Officer of EEXSport Digital Company Limited, he has advised sports institutions, federations and private organisations on sports business, sponsorship, media strategy, athlete development and international collaborations.
His experience and wide-ranging connections are expected to be instrumental in repositioning King Amachree Sports Academy as a leading hub for both sporting excellence and academic achievement across West Africa.
Under the agreement, EEXSport will take responsibility for technical oversight, operational development, improvements in education delivery, commercial planning, sponsorship management, marketing and international partnerships. However, ownership and overall governance of the academy will remain with Dokubo-Asari and the academy’s Board.
The upgrade plan is organised around six pillars: academic excellence, sports excellence, leadership development, international pathways, community impact and financial sustainability.
Alongside strengthening existing programmes in basketball, football, athletics, swimming, volleyball, handball and tennis, the academy will roll out a comprehensive “Play, Study and Progress” framework. The model is designed to blend quality education with leadership training, digital capabilities and structured preparation for future careers.
A standout element of the initiative is the launch of an International Athlete Pathways Programme. The programme is intended to introduce standout students to European training camps, international showcases, scholarship opportunities and professional club placements. Through EEXSport’s global relationships, talented athletes from Obuama are expected to gain direct access to prospects that could help launch international sporting careers.
Sports analysts view the deal as among the most significant private-sector investments in sports education in the Niger Delta in recent years, combining forward-looking leadership with professional sports management to create a lasting pathway for athlete development.
For Dokubo-Asari, though, the project carries a purpose beyond tournament success alone.
He argues that building stronger communities and a more prosperous nation depends on investing in young people through quality education, discipline and structured sport.
If the vision is realised, King Amachree Sports Academy will be remembered not only as the school that conquered Nigeria’s biggest secondary school basketball championship, but also as an institution that produced generations of athletes, scholars and leaders whose influence reaches well beyond the country’s borders.
