The President of the Basketball Africa League (BAL) Amadou Gallo Fall is set to receive the ‘Sporting Excellence Award’ at the 13th Grow, Unite, Build Africa (GUBA) Awards in Kigali, this month.

BAL President Fall was nominated alongside the Director General of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus who is also set to receive the ‘Exceptional Leadership in Global Health’ accolade.

The ceremony slated for September 29, will be hosted at the Intare Conference Arena.

In its thirteenth edition, the GUBA Awards seek to celebrate a historical hero within the Rwandan and African communities.

Under the theme ‘Ndabaga – Drumbeat of Dreamers and Legends’ the Awards strive to convey the power of determination and focus.

The story of Ndabaga is a keystone of Rwandan folklore representing bravery and determination.

"If ever there was a time to unite and celebrate the best of diversity, it is now. It is incredibly important to recognize the achievements of role models and community organizations across the world that deserve recognition for their work and impact, so that we as Africans, can tell our own stories,” organizers said in a statement.

The GUBA Awards, therefore, aim to reward individuals who continue to persist and show great courage within their various fields.

"Honored to have been nominated for the ‘Sporting Excellence Award’ at the 13th Grow, Unite, Build Africa (GUBA) Awards slated for September 29, 2022 at the Intare Conference Arena in Kigali, Rwanda,” noted Fall.

He added "This year’s awards on the theme, ‘Ndabaga - Drumbeat of Dreamers and Legends’ seeks to celebrate heroes on our continent. The awards convey the power of determination and focus. The story of Ndabaga is a keystone of Rwandan folklore representing bravery and determination”.

As President of the Basketball Africa League (BAL), Amadou Gallo Fall led the historic league’s launch in May 2021 and defined its vision and strategy for years to come.

Fall oversees the league’s business and basketball operations, leading its efforts to build a comprehensive basketball ecosystem in Africa.

He is also recipient of multiple leadership awards for his contributions to the growth of the game of basketball and youth development on the African continent, including New African’s 100 Most Influential Africans (2019), the South African Sport Industry’s Leadership in Sport (2018) and African Leader 4 Change (2017).

Previous winners of GUBA awards include Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Dr. Natalia Kanem, Dr. Diane Karusisi, Vice President Epsy Campbell Barr, Sir Sam Jonah (Executive Chairman, Jonah Capital), and Cherie Blair (Barrister, Writer) Patrick Awuah (Founder of Ashesi University), Richelieu Dennis among several high profile individuals.