Former NBA champion and renowned basketball executive, Masai Ujiri, has unveiled plans to support the construction of a modern sports complex at Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria,
The sports complex was modeled after the celebrated Zaria Court facility in Kigali, Rwanda.
This is contained in a statement issued by Malam Auwalu Umar, Director, Public Affairs Directorate of the university yesterday in Zaria.
The director said the initiative would help rejuvenate sports infrastructure and promote youth development at ABU, his Alma Mata.
Umar quoted Ujiri as making the pledge during a visit to the university to congratulate Prof. Adamu Ahmed on his appointment as Vice-Chancellor and to discuss possible areas of collaboration, particularly in sports and entertainment.
Ujiri, winner of the 2019 NBA Championship as President of the Toronto Raptor, said his goal was to help ABU reclaim its lost glory in sports by providing a befitting multi-sport facility comparable to international standards.
“I grew up in ABU and think about this place every day. I see how much potential it still has, but many facilities are run down.
“My dream is to help re-energise and transform ABU’s sports infrastructure into something world-class,” Ujiri said.
The basketball legend, who attended ABU Staff School and Demonstration Secondary School, described the proposed complex as similar to Zaria Court Kigali, a multi-million-dollar facility.
“The Zaria Court Kigali features a basketball court, gym, outdoor track, swimming pool, sports bar, and hotel accommodation,” he said.
The statement quoted, Prof. Adamu Ahmed, the vice-chancellor, as describing Ujiri’s gesture as timely.
The VC noted that the university was recently designated by the Federal Government as one of Nigeria’s eight Sports Centres of Excellence.
“Masai Ujiri’s offer aligns perfectly with the government’s renewed focus on sports as a driver of innovation, training, and commercial opportunities,” Ahmed said.
The Vice Chancellor, who recalled their past as basketball teammates, said Ujiri’s support would strengthen ABU’s ambition to become a continental hub for sports research and development.
Ujiri, born in the UK to Nigerian and Kenyan parents, ended his professional playing career in 2002 and went on to become a leading voice in global basketball administration.
He is also known for his work in youth sports development across Africa through his Giants of Africa Foundation.
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