jamal 
BY ODIMEGWU DOMINIC CHINYEAKA
Nigeria will be one of the 16 countries selected to participate in the inaugural Giants of Africa Youth Basketball Festival.
The festival is part of Giants of Africa, a not-for-profit organisation’s way of enriching the lives of African youth through sports.
Other participating countries are; the host Rwanda, Tanzania, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Senegal, Somalia, Uganda, Botswana, Ghana, South Sudan, Morocco, Cameroon and Mali.
Over 250 youths from 16 nations are expected to be at the festival scheduled to hold in Kigali from August 13 to 19, in marking the foundation’s 20th anniversary.
NBA vice-chairman, Masai Ujiri, and co-founder of the Toronto Raptors said, “the Giants of Africa Festival represents a momentous milestone for our organization – we will celebrate 20 years of empowering youth”.
“We will honour the incredible communities that have welcomed us. Through this Festival, we aim to inspire and encourage youth, while acknowledging their immense potential and the collective effort to create positive change”.
African superstars including Davido, Tiwa Savage, Diamond Platnumz and many others are expected to perform at the opening and closing of the ceremony.
The Boys Championship Game, Girls Championship Game, and All-Star Game are part of the basketball, educational, cultural, and entertainment events that will take place throughout the week-long event.
Nigerian-born co-founder, Ujiri led the Raptors to their first-ever NBA Championship, becoming the first NBA Championship won by a team outside the United States in NBA history.
