The Honorable Minister of Youth and Sports, Barrister Solomon Dalung has described the death of FIBA Secretary-General and IOC member, Patrick Baumann as unbelievable and shocking.
Barrister Dalung who just returned from Buenos Aires, Argentina where the Youth Olympics is ongoing described the late Baumann as a global citizen who had the interest of Nigeria’s Basketball at heart.
“Just on Wednesday, I had a meeting with him alongside the President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee, Engineer Habu Gumel and the Secretary General, Chief Babatunde Popoola to explore possibilities of growing basketball in Nigeria.
“It is really unbelievable that he died less than 72 hours after. I am really sad and pained that such a good man left us at an unripe age of 51.”
He consoled his immediate family and close associates urging them to take solace in the impact he made despite his brief sojourn on earth.
“Our thoughts are with his young family at this trying period. There is nothing to say to them now that can soothe the deep pain they are passing through over the sudden demise of Patrick. But we shall once again take solace in the fact that he left his foot prints on the sands of time”.
The Minister condoled with FIBA, the Nigeria Basketball Federation and all its stakeholders who may have been affected by the sad incident that occurred on Friday.
