10 Questions and Answers with Patrick Ogbodeje Abah 

After winning the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award in the Nigerian league last season, Patrick Ogbodeje Abah is looking to the 2026 Basketball Africa League (BAL) as a way of putting his hometown club on the international stage.

In this interview, the 6-foot-8 small forward discusses his basketball ambitions, the challenges facing the sport back home, and what the BAL means to him and others from Africa. 

Q: How much have you worked on your game since playing for the Rivers Hoopers last season? You look like a much better player.

A: I have to thank my coaches, who have supported me throughout my career since they found me in 2018. He hasn’t given up on me since I started playing basketball. We're talking about Coach Michael Ikima. 

Q: You didn't play much for the Hoopers last year, but you're a much more confident and better player now. 

A: Aside from my game, I worked on my body. Playing basketball requires physical fitness and mental strength. Coming here in 2025 was an eye-opening experience. When I went back home, I thought, 'Why should I feel bad about myself for sitting on the bench?' Then I thought that they had brought me here for a reason and that I should use that as motivation to try to be like the others. So, that was my biggest motivation when I went back home. I went to the gym and the court after school. Luckily for me, we won the Nigerian league, and here we are!

Q: The Flyers won the league, and you were named season MVP. Can you reflect on how it felt to go up against the Rivers Hoopers, a team that you played for in the BAL last year, beat them by two points in the final, and win the title?

A: When my hometown team, the Maktown Flyers, called me, I didn't really want to join them. They convinced me that we should work together, so I agreed. For me, it was all about repaying coach Ikima for everything he has done for me. During the season, I wasn't trying to prove a point. I was just playing hard because I didn’t want to lose. Knowing what I had seen and experienced in the BAL gave me extra motivation. I kept telling my friend and teammate, Thomas Agbo Okoh [Maktown Flyers No.13], to give it his all so that he could experience the BAL. I just wanted to win every game and help my team reach the BAL. Before we knew it, we were in the finals. We had started the league in seventh place. We kept fighting, and the next thing we knew, we were the champions.

Q. What is your day-to-day life like, given that basketball isn’t a professional sport in Nigeria?

A: Mine is a bit boring. Either I'm at the gym, on the court or at school. Otherwise, I'm at home playing games. 

Q: You are from Makodi. Where does the name Maktown Flyers come from? 

A: The name of our team comes from the name Makodi, which is our town, plus Town, so it's called Maktown. 

Q: You are still very young. You're 19, right? What’s it like playing along veterans and experienced players?

A: I'm turning 19 in December. It’s a continuing learning experience. 

Q: What are your goals in basketball?

A: For any aspiring young African basketball player, the NBA is the ultimate goal, but playing professionally in Europe or the BAL is a close second.

If the BAL continues to grow as it has been doing so far, I am sure that kids from Africa will start to see it as their main goal. It's a great platform for showcasing our talent, and I would be delighted to be part of the BAL in the future.

Q: Why don't Nigerian national teams usually compete at FIBA Youth tournaments? How does this affect the development of aspiring Nigerian basketball players?

A: Practising and playing competitive games are two different realities. I was lucky enough to attend Giants of Africa camps twice, which gave me a different perspective on basketball. Attending such camps helps aspiring players build their confidence. I have met players who lacked confidence on the court because they had never experienced anything other than practice. Some players perform well in practice but not in games. The only time we play games is when someone influential organises a tournament with investment behind it. It would be helpful if we had regular youth tournaments (U15s or U18s) from all regions in Nigeria. 

Q. If the Nigerian Basketball Federation doesn’t send a team to a tournament, there is nothing that FIBA can do about it. Do you agree?

A: I can’t say much about this issue because I am not familiar with the policies. 

Q: What can we expect from the Maktwon Flyers this season in the BAL?

A: We are a team that is not ready to back down. During training, you can see from the players' body language that we have all the tools we need to qualify for the next round. That’s what we are going to do. 

BAL