A sports foundation, Giants of Africa on Tuesday announced the unveiling of four new basketball courts in Nigeria.
The announcement is in continuation of the ‘Built Within’ initiative, the foundation’s multi-year 100-court commitment, aimed at enriching the lives of African youth through sports.
With the opening of these new courts, Giants of Africa founded by former Nigerian internationals, Masai Ujiri and Godwin Owinje, has now built a total of 20 courts in Kenya, Tanzania, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Senegal since September 2021.
Youth inspiration
The co-founder Ujiri said they have been inspired by the youth which has made them to remain committed to the course.
“There is so much talent in Nigeria,” said Masai Ujiri, Giants of Africa co-founder and Vice-Chairman and President of the Toronto Raptors of the NBA.
“After unveiling our initial courts here in Lagos under the ‘Built Within’ initiative last year, we knew we would be back. We continue to be inspired by the youth as well as the communities that are committed to moving Africa forward through sports.”
According to Ujiri who is 1st Vice Chairman and President of the Toronto Raptors in the NBA, USA, “While basketball courts are the heart of the ‘Built Within’ initiative, it’s about providing valuable life skills to empower the youth, while creating stronger communities and job opportunities on and off the court.
“Our goal is to bring social transformation, education and enrichment to the lives of children across the continent and we want Africa’s youth to dream big, believing that anything is possible,” Ujiri said.
The new courts are at Gaskiya College and Egan Grammar School sponsored by the Jess and Scott Lake Foundation, the Ejigbo Mini Stadium in partnership with 2K Foundations, followed by Abesan Mini Stadium. The four new sites in addition to the five previously announced locations, total nine basketball courts across Nigeria.
With 8 already sited in Lagos, the foundation has promised to spread to other parts of Nigeria.
Building courts outside Lagos
Co-founder, Owinje, said “the next phase of court building is going to be outside Lagos. We are going to go to other states to build courts as part of the 100 courts initiative”.
Owinje urged the kids to take advantage of the court while appealing to parents to allow their kids participate in sports.
“Basketball is very important; it goes hand in hand with education. I always tell people that basketball and education are joined at the hip, one cannot do without the other. That’s why it’s very important and I’ll use this very opportunity to appeal to parents in Nigeria and all over Africa to allow their kids play sports as it is very important in the wellbeing of the youths.
“We plan on running tournaments in all the courts that we are building. We are going to partner with an academy in the community thereby encouraging the kids around the area to come use the facility and get them interested in playing basketball.
“We are going to start organizing tournaments among all eight courts”.
Each court unveiling event includes a basketball clinic for 50 boys and girls conducted by local and NBA Giants of Africa coaches, a life skills session, as well as entertainment.
Prior to unveiling the courts in Nigeria, a court was unveiled in Kedougou, Senegal at Lycée Technique Industriel & Minier de Kedougou sponsored by IAMGOLD.
Emmanuel Ukoh
