A former professional basketball executive and player, Masai Ujiri, has visited Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, and pledged to assis...
A former professional basketball executive and player, Masai Ujiri, has visited Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, and pledged to assist the institution in upgrading its sports facilities to international standards.
This was contained in a statement issued by the Public Affairs Directorate, Office of the Vice-Chancellor, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and made available to newsmen on Tuesday, 21st October, 2025.
According to the statement, Ujiri, who won the 2019 NBA Championship as President of the Toronto Raptors and was named the 2013 NBA Executive of the Year, said he was at the university to discuss critical areas of support, particularly in sports infrastructure and entertainment development.
“I grew up in ABU and think about this place every day. Many of the facilities have run down over the years, and I want to contribute towards refurbishing and reenergizing them. ABU should be at the forefront of sports development in Nigeria,” Ujiri was quoted as saying.
The statement noted that Ujiri owns the “Zaria Court” in Kigali, Rwanda — a multimillion-dollar sports complex featuring a basketball court, gym, mini running track, swimming pool, sports bar, and hotel accommodation — and expressed his intention to replicate a similar model in ABU.
It also recalled that Ujiri, who was born in the United Kingdom to Nigerian and Kenyan parents, attended the ABU Staff School and Demonstration Secondary School in Zaria, where his passion for basketball began.
Receiving the basketball legend, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Adamu Ahmed, expressed appreciation for the visit, describing it as special to both him and the university.
“Masai’s visit is timely as the Federal Government has just designated ABU as one of the eight Sports Centres of Excellence in Nigeria. His support will complement government efforts to enhance sports development, innovation, and training,” the Vice-Chancellor stated.
Professor Ahmed further recalled their shared basketball experiences, noting that both of them once represented Nigeria in international tournaments, including the qualifiers that led to the country’s participation in the Basketball World Cup in Japan.
He commended Ujiri for his commitment to youth development and sports promotion, assuring him of the university’s readiness to collaborate fully in realizing his vision for a modern sports complex at ABU.
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