(PRETORIA) As an entrepreneur, Ugo Udezue understands creating opportunities for people can transform their lives. So, upon learning that the Nigerian teams (men and women) were struggling to get funding to travel to South Africa for the FIBA U18 AfroBasket, he moved mountains to ensure the kids would not miss the golden opportunity.
Udezue, a former basketball player, says making sure the youngsters made the trip for the tournament was personal, as the U18 program in his country, Nigeria, changed his life.
The businessman, owner of the growing sporting apparel brand Africa For Africa (AFA), also serves as head of delegation J’Tigers and J’Tigress teams. He also expanded on why he put his business interests on hold to serve his country.
“It was personal to me because I am a product of the U18 teams in Nigeria. It allowed me to get a scholarship and attend college in America. So when I learned that the government had no funding, I took it upon myself to raise the money… To keep the flame going for girls and boys,” said Udezue.
The J’Tigress arrived timeously for the event, while the men’s team’s travel plans were almost in jeopardy because of visa issues. To Udezue’s relief, the team made the trip down south and arrived in the early hours of last Wednesday for their Group B opener against Egypt.
Breathing a sigh of relief, he described how a stroke of good fortune led to the J’Tigers making their flight to South Africa.
“It was a blessing when they got here. They only made it here because the flight they were supposed to board got delayed to 8 pm. It (the flight) was supposed to leave at 12 pm, but they only got their visas at 3 pm… So, they quickly had to get on that flight. So it is by the grace of God, the hard work of people that have been on the journey with me and those that invested for this to happen,” says Udezue.
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The Nigeria men’s program has been one of the most successful on the continent – the U18 men have six AfroBasket titles to show for it. But it has lagged over the last decade. Asked why this was the case, Udezue could not offer a reason and chose to focus on the present.
“Honestly, I do not have an answer to that question. I can only speak on what is in front of us today. I think it is important for countries to have youth development programs and be involved in these competitions,” said Udezue. “We are taking the bull by the horns and want to ensure that this is not our only participation. We want a repetition.
“This is not for us – it’s for the kids and giving them an opportunity. When you save one kid, maybe they can reinvest back into the country, like I did. So, I am fully invested in this process,” said Udezue, a former NBA agent.
While investing his time to help Nigeria show up on the continent, he has ensured they do so in style by supplying AFA branded kit to the women’s and men’s teams.
Being a man who experienced broadened horizons, he says his brand goes beyond just supplying kits. He says the ethos of AFA is to support the African sporting ecosystem.
“We did not start our brand to supply kits. AFA means Africa For Africa… For the game to grow, we need indigenous sports brands to be part of the process. Nike and Puma will not always come to our rescue,” said Udezue. “So there is an opportunity for local brands to support or sponsor local leagues and international competition, especially at this level (U18). It’s a no-brainer. If we had the capacity, we would want to sponsor this competition (AfroBasket). That is what we hope to do in future.”
Udezue’s brand, adorned on the D’Tigress Olympic team kit, is beginning to have a footprint in neighbouring countries. AFA is a kit sponsor for Cameroon’s senior national teams. It (AFA) also supplied apparel to the Central African Republic team Bangui Sporting Club during their Road To BAL campaign last year.
For Udezue, it is only the beginning. “We are only getting started. Our mindset is not only Nigeria – it is Africa. I am a pan Africanist. I won’t say we want to dominate anything. We are setting up this brand to improve sports in Africa,” said Udezue.
The interview turned back to the kids and how they impacted him. “They have touched life because they have given me the opportunity to teach them. They have given me the opportunity to contribute to the world. I want them to be more successful than I have been,” said Udezue. “They have taught me so much and brought me back to the basics of who I used to be… That is humbling. I hope they able to change their own lives and that of their families.”
Udezue’s reinvestment in Africa has unlocked doors that seemed closed and opened a market that was bubbling under the surface. His pioneering and humanitarian spirit is inspirational and an example for the sons and daughters of this continent.
