Dr Olukoya-backed MFM rules Nigerian women’s basketball

MFM Women’s Basketball Club have strengthened their grip on Nigerian women’s basketball, combining another league triumph with a remarkable collection of individual honours that underlined the depth and quality of the Lagos-based side.

The victory over First Bank in the Zenith Bank Women’s Basketball League Final 8 gave MFM another national championship, but the club left the National Stadium with much more than the major trophy.

They walked away with the Most Valuable Player award, the best three-point shooter prize and two places in the Team of the Tournament, among the major individual honours announced at the end of the competition.

At the heart of the celebration was Idubamo Pius, whose influential campaign earned her the league’s MVP award.

Idubamo capped her impressive tournament with a game-high 19 points in the championship decider, helping MFM withstand First Bank’s late fightback before eventually settling the contest in overtime 66-64.

Her teammate Wandoo Hembam was rewarded for her accuracy from beyond the arc, winning the Best Three-Point Shooter award, while she and Idubamo Pius were both named in the competition’s best five.

It was another indication that MFM’s success was not built around one outstanding player but around a squad capable of producing match-winners across different positions.

The All-Star Five also included Favour Anari of ASO Sky, First Bank’s Marylyn Ogbeide and Nigeria Customs’ Nkem Akaraiwe, who claimed the tournament’s highest-scorer award.

ASO Sky’s Kasi completed the major individual honours by emerging as the competition’s top rebounder.

Yet behind MFM’s sustained success is a support structure the players insist has been just as important as what happens on the court.

MFM captain Okoh Ukamaka singled out the club’s General Overseer, Dr. Daniel Olukoya, and his wife for their continued commitment to the women’s basketball programme.

According to Ukamaka, the players’ ability to compete, remain focused and chase major honours is closely connected to the confidence and support provided by the MFM leadership.

“We are very grateful to our G.O., Dr. Olukoya, and his beautiful wife. Their support means so much to us. They continue to believe in us and provide the encouragement and support we need to compete at this level,” Ukamaka said.

That backing for the captain has created an environment in which the players can concentrate on performance rather than merely participation.

She also credited the coaching crew for maintaining the team’s standards throughout the campaign.

“Our coaches have done a great job. They have pushed us, corrected us and kept us focused even when things were difficult. Their hard work and belief in us have been a big part of this success,” she added.

Ukamaka believes the players have equally embraced the collective responsibility that comes with playing for MFM.

“This team is like a family. We trust one another, we work for one another and we never give up. Everyone played their part, and that togetherness made the difference,” she stated.

MFM’s latest title means they have now won the Zenith Bank Women’s Basketball League three times in four years, reinforcing their emergence as one of the most successful forces in the domestic game.

Their latest championship also saw them finish the campaign unbeaten, while Nigeria Customs secured third place and First Bank settled for the runners-up position.

The conference honours had earlier gone to Customs in the Savannah Conference and MFM in the Atlantic Conference.

The domestic celebrations for MFM will be brief.

The champions and runners-up will now carry Nigeria’s hopes into the FIBA Africa Zone 3 qualifiers for the 2026 Africa Women’s Basketball League, with the continental tournament scheduled for December 11–20 in Alexandria, Egypt.

MFM will therefore head into the next phase of the season with a national title, an unbeaten record, a tournament MVP, the best three-point shooter and two members of the All-Star Five.

And according to their captain, the foundation for that success remains the unwavering support coming from the top.

A club already dominating the domestic scene, the next question is whether Dr. Olukoya’s Queens can turn their Nigerian supremacy into continental success.

AWARDS:

MVP

idubamo Pius – MFM

Highest scorer

Nkem Akaraiwe – Customs

Highest 3 points

Wandoo Hembam

Top Rebounder

Kasi – Aso sky

Savannah Conference champion

Customs Basketball.

Atlantic Conference champion

MFM Basketball

Tournament Top 5

* Wandoo Hembam

* Idubamo Pius

* Favour Anari

* Marylyn Ogbeide

* Nkem Akaraiwe

CHAMPION

MFM

RUNNER UP

First Bank

THIRD POSITION

Nigeria Customs