Former NBA Star Ujiri Visits ABU, Commits To Supporting Sports Dev’t

Michael Masai Ujiri, a erstwhile nonrecreational hoops enforcement and player, has visited Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) successful Zaria and pledged to assistance successful upgrading the institution’s sports facilities to conscionable planetary standards.

During his visit, Ujiri extended congratulations to Professor Adamu Ahmed connected his caller assignment arsenic Vice-Chancellor, highlighting their shared past arsenic hoops players.

Ujiri, a 2019 NBA champion, is the proprietor of the Zaria Court successful Kigali, Rwanda, a multimillion-pound sports analyzable that includes a hoops court, gymnasium, mini outdoor moving track, sports bar, swimming pool, and edifice accommodation.

Born successful the United Kingdom to Nigerian and Kenyan parents, Ujiri grew up successful Nigeria, wherever helium attended the Staff School and Demonstration Secondary School astatine Ahmadu Bello University.

In his gathering with Vice-Chancellor Professor Ahmed, Ujiri expressed his tendency to sermon captious needs wrong the university, peculiarly successful regards to sports amusement and infrastructure. He emphasised the value of collaboration and exploring avenues for contributing to the institution’s growth.

Ujiri noted that galore of the university’s facilities had fallen into disrepair and were underutilised. He urged the request for revitalising and refurbishing these facilities to maximise their potential.

The hoops fable advocated for the promotion of sports development, asserting that ABU should beryllium astatine the forefront of specified initiatives. He envisions the constitution of a sports analyzable astatine ABU akin to the Zaria Court successful Kigali, reflecting his committedness to enhancing sports infrastructure for development.

Reflecting connected his past successful ABU, Ujiri stated, “I deliberation astir it each day.” He expressed anticipation of returning with his woman and children during aboriginal visits to Nigeria.

Ujiri thanked the Vice-Chancellor for the lukewarm invited extended to him and his entourage.

In his response, Professor Adamu Ahmed conveyed appreciation to Ujiri for his visit, describing it arsenic important for some himself and the university. He highlighted the timeliness of Ujiri’s visit, noting that ABU had precocious been designated by the Nigerian authorities arsenic 1 of 8 sports centres of excellence.

Professor Ahmed believes Ujiri’s committedness to assisting the upgrade of ABU’s sports infrastructure would importantly bolster the national government’s efforts towards sports improvement successful Nigeria. He expressed optimism that the ABU Sports Centre of Excellence could service arsenic a level for innovation, nonrecreational training, and the commercialisation of sports.

Recalling their hoops travel together, Professor Ahmed mentioned efforts to transportation Ujiri to articulation the Nigerian nationalist squad and fondly reminisced astir their information successful a tourney successful Pretoria, South Africa, wherever they secured a spot astatine the World Cup successful Japan.

Professor Ahmed extended heartfelt acknowledgment to Ujiri for his sojourn and expressed eagerness to invited him backmost successful the future.

It is noteworthy that aft retiring from nonrecreational play successful 2002, Ujiri continued to lend to the athletics arsenic a younker manager successful Nigeria. He holds immense admiration for Hakeem Olajuwon, a erstwhile NBA prima and chap Nigerian.