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The Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, has said that the 2022 UNILAG-NUGA Games will provide undergraduates with the opportunity to also showcase their hidden talents.
Dare, who stated this on Friday night at the lighting of the NUGA Torch of Unity, as well as the Games’ mascot, christened “Kaddi” unveiling, said the Games highlight the coexistence of sports and education.
“I am glad that through the effort of the school’s vice chancellor and his team, UNILAG will be hosting the 26th edition of the NUGA Games. That will give our younger generation, the youth, who are the students opportunity to compete in about 28 different sports.
“The Ministry of Youth and Sports will be watching through our 38 different sports federations the talents, stars that NUGA 2022 will produce. And then, we will take them up and serve them to the world to represent Nigeria at the All African Games, Commonwealth Games, Olympics, and other international competitions.
“We thank the President for reclassifying sports as business. Before, sports was mere a creation, but in Nigeria today, sports is business. So, through the value chain of sports, as an athlete, as medical personnel, as a writer, as broadcaster; sports is alive in this country now.
“Sports offer tremendous opportunities, especially, for our youths and that is my excitement that our youths can channel their talents and energy to sports and then you see the coexistence of sports and education, adding that the competition will churn out more of Chioma Ajunwa-Opara, Mary Onyali-Omagbemi and others.
Also speaking, the UNILAG’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Oluwatoyin T. Ogundipe, said, “Almost three years ago, the minister and I met somewhere and he challenged me, saying, after our discussion, can UNILAG host the NUGA Games because we will use it to transform sports in Nigeria.
“Honourable minister sir, I have fulfilled my own side of the agreement; it is now left for you to fulfill your own side of the agreement. NUGA Games is about our students and we want to showcase UNILAG students as one of the best all over the world best in terms of sports, academics, innovation and in the area of entrepreneurship,” he said.
Meanwhile, Project Lead 2022 UNILAG-NUGA Games LOC, Idris Olorunnimbe, the founder and chief executive officer of The Temple Company, said UNILAG is raising the bar for the Games.
“I am excited for the Nigerian youths. Luckily, we have another four months to prepare for the Games, which is in March. The facilities are currently being upgraded. Since UNILAG is hosting, Lagos is hosting; so, we are going to use the state’s facilities … It is definitely going to be UNILAG like never before,” he stated.
THEGUARDIAN
