Toronto Raptors president Masai Ujiri has heaped praise on President Paul Kagame for his will and dedication to investing in sports in Rwanda, describing it as ‘revolutionary’ for the continent to move from leisure to business.
Ujiri, who is also the Founder and CEO of Giants of Africa, made the remarks on February 3 during the just-concluded Rwanda Day 2024 held in Washington D.C, United States, while discussing the "Economic Development Through Sports and Entertainment.”
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Africa, Ujiri said, is blessed to have President Kagame and his family who treats sports with importance and is changing the sports sector in Rwanda from a leisure to a business mindset.
Sharing an example from Kagame, he said the Head of the State conceived the idea of building the BK Arena in Kigali following the First Family’s visit to and participating at the NBA All-Star Game back in 2016.
Ujiri said that Kagame has a vision of changing the sports world in Rwanda and Africa.
"I am so proud that we have a president, someone that sees the importance of sports. Because, in Africa, we treat sports as a leisure, and we have not seen it as a business,” Ujiri said.
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"We still treat it as leisure and competition, that is great, but the opportunity that God has given me to play basketball as a youth, come to school in the US, and be in the position that I am, I see what kind of investment that is being made.
"There should be an ecosystem, where people come, watch games, eat, buy merchandise, have a drink, watch other games, that is the ecosystem that we have not understood that in Africa. We have the best athletes in the world, we have the best artistes in the world.”
Ujiri was referring to the current sports hub and ecosystem that is under construction in Remera in Kigali. These include the BK Arena, Rwf160 billion Amohoro Stadium–the largest stadium in Rwanda–whose major upgrade is expected to be complete before August and a modern in-door tennis court (near Petit Stade).
Equally massive is the Zaria Court project which is underway in the same area within the vicinity of BK Arena and Amahoro Stadium, as part of the Giants of Africa (GoA) basketball development project in Africa.
These facilities are also located near the Gisementi Car-Free-Zone which has mushrooming entertainment facilities, coffee shops, restaurants and hotels among other attractions.
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Ujiri said that this ecosystem has not yet been understood in Africa and it is the biggest challenge for the continent even if it produces some of the best athletes in the world.
"No Arena in Nigeria and no Arena in Accra(Ghana). How is it possible?”
"I want our artistes like Bruce Melody to be able to go to Uganda, play in Arena, and other countries.That will create a movement, an economy for us, it will create resources in an incredible way.”
"Think about the NBA, NFL, the revenue that is made every day, people watching, sponsors, naming rights...I hope that we realize this. Imagine an Africa that doesn’t participate in sports and entertainment but instead defines it,” he noted.
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Ujiri said that Africa needs more than two arenas and asked African diaspora to contribute to this cause of helping and building their motherland with the little contribution they can afford, but especially, thinking big and thinking Africa.
"What President Kagame is doing is revolutionary in Africa. It's a vision. It’s led a lot of us leaders on the continent to believe that it can actually be done,” Ujiri added.