The 24th Nigeria University Games Association Games earlier scheduled to hold last year will now hold between February 12 and 22 at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State.
Cecilia Arinye, NUGA council member, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria on Friday on telephone.
Arinye said that the Games, earlier scheduled for October 12 to 22, 2013, was postponed indefinitely due to the six months strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities.
The member said that the new date was to give hope to the student athletes and to reawaken the Games.
She said: “It is good news that the impasse has ended.
“The athletes who had undergone preliminaries since June and July, will now be able to exhibit their skills at the competition.
“Some of them hope to use the event as a launching pad to the forthcoming Commonwealth Games.
“So, staging the event in February before the Commonwealth Games will be an advantage.
“Many of the student athletes had used the competition to get to the bigger stage in various sports, while the chances are still available for the upcoming ones.”
Arinye, who is also the NUGA Zone F Co-ordinator, comprising the universities in Lagos, Ogun and Oyo States, said that necessary logistics had been put in place to welcome contingents to the Games.
According to Arinye, the host university is ready for the Games, having put in place structures and sporting facilities for the event.
She called on athletes to be law abiding and make the best of the opportunities provided by the platform to launch themselves into world reckoning.
NAN reports that the last edition of the competition was held at the University of Benin in 2010.
Trending
- Police foil attack in Katsina, neutralise suspected bandit
- US vetoes Palestine’s request for full UN membership
- Your vote will make peace almost impossible, Israel tells Security Council
- Iran media reports air defences shoot at flying objects over Isfahan
- Kenya’s armed forces chief killed in helicopter crash
- Troops repel IPOB/ESN terrorists attack in Okija, neutralise several fighters
- Bandit leader seeks peace in new video after military attacks
- 2024 UTME: Parents obey JAMB order to steer clear CBT centres