Sports
ASUU Strike Threatens NUGA Games
The possibility of staging
the 24th Nigeria University Games Association (NUGA) Games will be based on ending the three-month old strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) within the next one week.
NUGA council member, Cecilia Arinye disclosed this to newsmen last Thursday on telephone, after the end of a one-day council meeting held at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife.
The games had originally been scheduled to hold between October 3 and October 13 at the OAU, Ile-Ife, Osun State.
Arinye, who is also the NUGA Zone F Co-coordinator, comprising the universities in Lagos, Ogun and Oyo States, said that the one-day meeting was to determine the possibility of the Games vis-à-vis the ongoing ASUU strike.
The co-coordinator, who is also the Director of Sports at the University of Lagos, said that the council expressed hopelessness at the situation, noting that the meeting only considered the best options.
“The possibility of staging the event will be based on a possible end to the three-month old ASUU strike within the next one week.
“The meeting’s deliberations have been subjected to permutations and despondency, considering the available time and the ongoing industrial face-off between university teachers and the Federal Government,” Arinye said.
According to Arinye, the host university is ready for the games, having put in place structures and sporting facilities for the event.
“Athletes who are the actors in the competition are at home, they are not on campus and so, it’s impossible to stage the event without them,” she said.
Arinye urged the government to save the sporting careers of the student athletes, whom she said, had hoped to use the competition to advance their prospects in life by resolving the impasse.
“Any possible shift in date now will further dampen the athletes’ spirit,’’ she added.
The Tidesport reports that the 2013 biennial Games had earlier suffered a postponement in June.
The Bayelsa State government, yesterday, announced that the marathon will be held on Saturday, April 4, 2026.
The inaugural race is owned by the Bayelsa State Government and will be organised by Nilayo Sports Management Limited, a sports management company.
Under the theme “The Reveal,” the race represents a bold unveiling of Bayelsa’s immense human and cultural potential to the international community, inviting the world to witness the resilience, grit, and talent rooted in the heart of the Niger Delta.
According to the organisers, the race will be flagged off at 9:30 a.m., at the Opolo Roundabout, guiding participants through a carefully designed 10-kilometre route that highlights the scenic beauty and vibrant atmosphere of Yenagoa.
The course will culminate at Peace Park Square, where athletes will cross the finish line into a grand celebration of endurance, unity, and community spirit.
To elevate the experience for runners and spectators alike, the finish venue will host a high-energy post-race concert featuring performances from top A-list artistes, blending sport and entertainment in a festival-style atmosphere.
The organisers directed all registered participants to collect their race bibs and kits at the designated Peace Park Square between March 30 and April 3, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily.
The race, according to them, is currently on track for World Athletics accreditation, underscoring the commitment of both the Bayelsa State Government and Nilayo Sports Management Limited to delivering an event that meets the highest global standards.
The Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Bukola Olopade, on Friday continued the Commission’s nationwide appreciation tour with a visit to Abeokuta, where outstanding junior athlete, Majekodunmi Afusat Bisola, was presented with a cheque of N3 million.
The presentation forms part of the NSC’s initiative to recognise and reward exceptional junior athletes who distinguished themselves in 2025 and contributed significantly to Nigeria’s medal haul.
Majekodunmi delivered an impressive run of performances on the track. At the last edition of the National Sports Festival, she stormed to gold in the 400m and the 4x400m relay. She replicated the double triumph at the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) Junior Championship, in Abeokuta, before emerging as one of the standout stars at the African Youth Games in Luanda, Angola.
Speaking during the presentation, Olopade explained that the Commission deemed it necessary to extend financial appreciation to grassroots athletes after elite performers had earlier received grants running into thousands of dollars.
“A few weeks ago, after paying grants to our elite athletes, we agreed tthere was a need to also appreciate these young, budding talents who made Nigeria proud last year,” he said.
He disclosed that of the 376 medals recorded by Nigerian athletes in 2025, more than 200 were won by grassroots talents, underscoring the importance of sustained investment in youth development.
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