About 10,000 students are expected to participate in the 26th NUGA Games from next month – March 16 to March 26, 2022. The host is the University of Lagos, Akoka – Lagos.
The Nigerian University Games Association was formed in July 1965, shortly after the 1st West African University Games that was held at the University of Ibadan earlier that year. In 1966, the first Nigerian University Games was held at the University of Ibadan, featuring the five Universities in Nigeria at that time namely: University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), Ile-Ife; University of Nigeria, Nsukka; University of Lagos, Akoka; Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and University of Ibadan. Presently, there are over eighty Universities as members of NUGA and this cut across private and public (Federal and State) owned.
In the beginning, only very few sports were involved but the member of sports have over time grown to sixteen namely: Athletics, Badminton, Basketball, Chess, Cricket, Football, Handball, Hockey, Judo, Scrabble, Squash, Swimming, Table Tennis, Taekwondo, Tennis and Volleyball.
Over the years, many University athletes have represented Nigeria at various international competitions like the Commonwealth and Olympic Games. Some of the notable ones include Seyi Olofinjana (Football), Vincent Enyeama (Football), Bisi Afoloabi (Athletics), Olumide Oyedeji (Basketball), Chika Chukwumerije (Taekwondo) and Olusoji Fasuba (Athletics), who held the African record in 100 metres (Men) sprint event with a time of 9.85 seconds.
Many more University athletes eventually turn professional after completing their University education.
Prior to the forthcoming 26th NUGA Games to be held at the University of Lagos, elimination competitions have been held at the various NUGA Zones with thousands of athletes from the close to 80 Universities participating.
Ahead of the commencement of the 2022 NUGA Games, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, has received the games torch of unity, and recalled the exploits of great athletes discovered at previous editions of the competition.
The torch of unity, which is a symbol of the games, was presented to Prof. Osinbajo at a brief ceremony at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The ceremony was witnessed by the Minister of Sports, Chief Sunday Dare, and Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, Vice-Chancellor of the hosting University of Lagos, among other officials.
The Vice President recalled all the old glory of the University Games with a lot of nostalgia.
Said he:
“Indeed, the socio-economic value of the NUGA games is not lost on us. For years, the Nigerian University Games Association has not only provided a space that allows us see the value that every part of the country has to offer, it has also provided a platform for the discovery and honing of individual sporting talent, many of whom have gone on to represent Nigeria successfully on the world stage.”
He encouraged athletes to the forthcoming games to compete and represent their respective universities proudly and in true spirit of sportsmanship because the games are only a prelude to bigger achievements and greater laurels for such athletes and for Nigeria.
The Vice-President then recalled the achievements of some athletes discovered at the games: “going through Nigeria’s sporting history and almost everywhere we have excelled on the global stage, you will find athletes whose talents were nurtured in our universities and given a competitive boost by NUGA at one time or the other.”
He said that, “The now legendary Nigerian goalkeeper, Vincent Enyeama, who we fondly remember for his role in leading the Super Eagles to victory in the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations, and who in his prime was considered one of the best goalkeepers in the world, was once a university athlete and a proud product of NUGA’s talent pipeline. Olusoji Fasoba, who won 100 meters gold, running for the Obafemi Awolowo University at NUGA many years ago, eventually went on to anchor Nigeria’s bronze medal win in the 4 x 100 metres relay race at the 2004 Olympic Games, and until recently, was the African record holder in the 100 metres. And, of course, there is Olabisi Afolabi, the famed NUGA alumnus from Ilorin, who helped Nigeria to a silver medal in the 4 x 400 metres at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, the highlight of a very successful athletic career, which included gold at the World Junior Championships in 1994, silver at the 1999 All-Africa Games, and bronze at the 1995 All-Africa Games.”
Continuing, the VP noted that, “How can we forget Chika Chukwumerije, a shining symbol of excellence and commitment to craft, who inspired by his gold medal-winning performance at the 2002 and 2004 NUGA games, would go on to represent Nigeria at two Olympic finals and earn us our first taekwondo medal at the Olympics?”
The VP also listed the “former Super Falcons Captain and goalkeeper Precious Dede; Nkiru Okosieme; Edith Agoye; Adeolu Adekoya who competed for UNILAG; the famous Mutiu Adepoju, who played for the University of Ibadan, and Seyi Olonfijana, who competed for LAUTECH once upon a time. Then there was Edema Fuludu who played for UNIBEN and became a key part of the Super Eagles winning squad in 1994; Akinshola Simeon and Aminat Ilori, both from LASU, who now play for our national Badminton team; Olumide Oyedeji who went on to become an NBA star and later captained the Nigerian national basketball team D’Tigers; and so many others.”
While commending the UNILAG management for the good job in preparing for a successful games, the VP restated the commitment of the Federal Government in sports and youth development, noting that “we are committed to ensuring that you receive all the support you need at every stage of your exceedingly promising careers.”
On his part, UNILAG Vice-Chancellor Ogundipe, has announced plans to boost commerce around Lagos, the host city, during the games.
He said: “We are going to showcase to the world that, apart from some of the negative things they read about this country, Nigeria is a country with talent and potential that we want to exhibit”.
These are encouraging words from Professor Ogundipe because NUGA seems to have lost all the glitz and glitter of the earlier years. University students looked forward to the opportunity to prove themselves and sell their acts to propel them to the national teams and even for sports scholarships abroad. It was also an event that engendered fellowship, life-long friendships and partnerships among students of different universities, in the true spirit of sportsmanship. All this seem to have been lost, especially since some of the games did not hold or were not hosted as expected.
The Vice Chancellor expressed appreciation to the VP, “for this opportunity. I want assure you that we are ready to put in the best competition and to revive NUGA.”
The highpoint of the State House event was the presentation of the “torch of unity” and the NUGA shirt to the Vice-President by the Games officials and the UNILAG VC.
We wait for the actualisation of the promises made by the Games Organising Committee and the VC as March i6 is just around the corner.
IMAGE CREDIT: Tolani Alli, nuga.com.ng
