Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, Mr Peter Obi, has lauded the vision and African physical developmental goals of the co-founder of the Giants of Africa Foundation and president of the Toronto Raptors, Masai Ujiri.
Obi, who met with Ujiri on the sideline of an African development discussion in Kigali, Rwanda,during the weekend, said he was touched by what he called the giant strides by Ujiri in building up African youths mentally and general infrastructural growth of the continent.
A regular face in African development talks across the globe, Obi was taken on a.tour of the facility.
Obi wrote on his X (Twitter) handle after the tour, “Induced by my belief that sports are a critical area for commitment and investment that can help lift millions of our youths out of poverty while contributing to the development and unity of our dear country, I have just toured the much-advertised Kigali Sports City in Rwanda alongside Nigerian-born Masai Ujiri, the trailblazing President of the NBA’s Toronto Raptors,” Obi wrote on his X handle on Sunday.
“The tour began with a visit to the arena, a world-class facility known for its cutting-edge design and construction. This venue, where the 2022 Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting was held, generates enough revenue to operate independently, without recourse to government funding,” he also.wrote.
“Next, I visited the stadium, a 45,000-seater facility built and commissioned a few months ago. What truly left me in awe, however, was the ongoing construction of a complex comprising a hotel, a mini-game village, open areas for engagements, and a sports bar, all part of what is named “Zaria Court,” developed by Ujiri.
“He explained the significance of the name, revealing that he was born and raised in Zaria, Nigeria. His love for Zaria fuels his desire to see such facilities in Nigeria, particularly given the size and potential of the country.”
According to Obi, the discussion also touched on the poor facilities back home in Nigeria.
“Ujiri believed that such developments should exist in most states or, at the very least, in each of the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria. Unfortunately, he pointed out that neither the National Stadium in Lagos nor the one in Abuja is in good condition,” Obi further said.
“While driving back to my hotel, I couldn’t help but think about how we can kickstart such projects, creating jobs, changing the narrative in sports and entertainment, and contributing to building the new Nigeria that we all know is Possible.”
Masai, a former guard of D’Tigers has, via Giants of Africa, used sport to help empower youth to dream big, hosting basketball camps and clinics for boys and girls in 17 countries across the continent.
In 2021, Giants of Africa launched the ‘Built Within’ 100-court initiative and have unveiled 29 basketball facilities in 9 African countries to date.