OAU Rebrands Sports Competition, Prepares for NUGA
Sylvester Onwuka
There was perhaps no previous occasion that the line of the great Ife anthem reading "for learning and culture, sports and struggle" resonated more with many chanting it, before 18th April 2019, when draws for the 2019 sports festival opened at the table-tennis gym (IGI building), at Obafemi Awolowo University's Sports Complex.
The event itself- being the first ceremonial draws outing in the competition's history, the caliber of people gathered in the venue, combined with their disposition, underscore the strength of efforts being currently made by Obafemi Awolowo University's Sports Council to give a face-lift to its annual Sports Festival, which until now had been known as the inter-faculty games.
In attendance were members of the OAU Sports Council, led by the Chairman, Prof. A.O Isichie; Dr Mrs Bisi Johnson, Chairman Great Ife Alumni, Home branch; Mrs Busayo Obisakin, DSA Guidance Counsellor; Dr. Ogunlusi, who represented Director, Health Center; Mr A.O Adelakun, Bursary Department; Coach Abu Adamu, Sports Director, and others.
Directors of Sports, Team Coaches and Captains formed a delegation of three- representing each of the 13 faculties (and Post Graduates) that were to participate in the competition.
The football draws, which also doubled as basketball draws is the very first step in a series of events in the the build up to the 16-game sports festival this year, with which the sports council will attempt to turn around how games are being played not only in Obafemi Awolowo University but also in the higher institutions of learning nationwide.
"I don't think there is any university that has done what we are doing. We are rebranding university sports because we are pacesetters." said Prof. A.O Isichie in his opening address.
The director of Sports, Coach Abu Adamu says they (the Sports Council) had long term plans which includes the commercialization of the games. He said initiatives that had been earmarked will be implemented in phases, however. One example, he said, is: trophies and winners' medals will be given in a dinner this year, an alternative to the traditional practice of awarding of laurels to winners in the main bowl shortly after events were closed
He added: "We want you all (faculty delegates) to go back to the lower levels, train and select 100 and 200 level students who will represent you in the games".
He said standout performers in the sport festival can also expect to feature in the Nigerian University Games Association (NUGA) interuniversity games coming up in November/December 2019, at the University of Lagos (UNILAG).
In the draws, Faculties of Law, Environmental and Design Management (EDM), and Technology, winners of the 2017 edition, will slug it out in Group A. Defending Champions, Post Graduates, will face Agriculture, Social Sciences and Basic Medical Sciences (BMS) in Group B. Science, Arts and Dentistry were drawn in Group C. Education, Administration, Clinical Sciences (CLS) and Pharmacy are in Group D.
Preliminary fixtures show the opening match will be played between Faculties of LAW and Environmental and Design Management (EDM) on a date yet to be announced. Further details are expected to be released by the Council soon.
(Original article was written by Ayoola Omole for OAU Sports Festival Media team)
There was perhaps no previous occasion that the line of the great Ife anthem reading "for learning and culture, sports and struggle" resonated more with many chanting it, before 18th April 2019, when draws for the 2019 sports festival opened at the table-tennis gym (IGI building), at Obafemi Awolowo University's Sports Complex.
The event itself- being the first ceremonial draws outing in the competition's history, the caliber of people gathered in the venue, combined with their disposition, underscore the strength of efforts being currently made by Obafemi Awolowo University's Sports Council to give a face-lift to its annual Sports Festival, which until now had been known as the inter-faculty games.
In attendance were members of the OAU Sports Council, led by the Chairman, Prof. A.O Isichie; Dr Mrs Bisi Johnson, Chairman Great Ife Alumni, Home branch; Mrs Busayo Obisakin, DSA Guidance Counsellor; Dr. Ogunlusi, who represented Director, Health Center; Mr A.O Adelakun, Bursary Department; Coach Abu Adamu, Sports Director, and others.
Directors of Sports, Team Coaches and Captains formed a delegation of three- representing each of the 13 faculties (and Post Graduates) that were to participate in the competition.
The football draws, which also doubled as basketball draws is the very first step in a series of events in the the build up to the 16-game sports festival this year, with which the sports council will attempt to turn around how games are being played not only in Obafemi Awolowo University but also in the higher institutions of learning nationwide.
"I don't think there is any university that has done what we are doing. We are rebranding university sports because we are pacesetters." said Prof. A.O Isichie in his opening address.
The director of Sports, Coach Abu Adamu says they (the Sports Council) had long term plans which includes the commercialization of the games. He said initiatives that had been earmarked will be implemented in phases, however. One example, he said, is: trophies and winners' medals will be given in a dinner this year, an alternative to the traditional practice of awarding of laurels to winners in the main bowl shortly after events were closed
He added: "We want you all (faculty delegates) to go back to the lower levels, train and select 100 and 200 level students who will represent you in the games".
He said standout performers in the sport festival can also expect to feature in the Nigerian University Games Association (NUGA) interuniversity games coming up in November/December 2019, at the University of Lagos (UNILAG).
In the draws, Faculties of Law, Environmental and Design Management (EDM), and Technology, winners of the 2017 edition, will slug it out in Group A. Defending Champions, Post Graduates, will face Agriculture, Social Sciences and Basic Medical Sciences (BMS) in Group B. Science, Arts and Dentistry were drawn in Group C. Education, Administration, Clinical Sciences (CLS) and Pharmacy are in Group D.
Preliminary fixtures show the opening match will be played between Faculties of LAW and Environmental and Design Management (EDM) on a date yet to be announced. Further details are expected to be released by the Council soon.
(Original article was written by Ayoola Omole for OAU Sports Festival Media team)
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