The appointment was announced in a statement issued on Monday by Donald Mbaka, founder of the Basketball Training Foundation (BTF).
According to the statement, Odejide has an impressive record in grassroots basketball, having led Gwarinpa Secondary School to three consecutive Milo Secondary School Basketball Championship titles in the Federal Capital Territory. On each occasion, the team went on to represent the FCT at the national finals in Lagos after progressing through the regional playoffs.
Mbaka described the appointment as an important step towards strengthening the club affiliated Basketball Player Development Program (BPDP), which focuses on identifying and nurturing promising players.
As head coach, Odejide is expected to build a strong pool of young prospects capable of progressing to higher levels of the game, both in Nigeria and abroad. His performance will be assessed over an initial 12 month period, the statement added.
Odejide brings both playing and coaching experience to the role. During his active career, he featured for Yobe Desert Rockets and Kada Stars in the Nigeria Basketball League. He also played for Abuja BATS during the club’s debut season in the Abuja City Basketball League (ACBL).
Beyond his playing career, Odejide currently manages Gwarinpa Hawks, a neighbourhood youth team affiliated with Abuja BATS. He recently strengthened his coaching credentials by obtaining a basic coaching certification from the Nigeria Institute for Sports (NIS).
His appointment is expected to support Abuja BATS’ efforts to build a stronger youth development structure and prepare emerging players for future opportunities in competitive basketball.
