Barely hours after the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) called off its 160-day strike, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife (OAU), has confirmed its readiness to host the 24th Nigerian Universities Games (NUGA).
Already, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) has certified the eight-lane track to be used for athletic events of the games as meeting its level two grade. Only the National Stadium track in Abuja is Level 1 certified in the country. The other two tracks on the Level Two certification of the IAAF are the U.J. Esuene Stadium in Calabar and the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium in Enugu.
The Public Relations Officer of OAU, Mr Abiodun Olarewaju, confirmed to THISDAY yesterday that the university management was ready to host an excellent edition of the much postponed games anytime NUGA chiefs fix a date.
"Our facilities are ready. OAU has one of the best track in the country as of today. The track constructed by VAST International Company Limited was given a Level Two certification by the IAAF. Our Sports Complex is one of the four stadia that can boast of such modern track and field facilities in the country. Our swimming pool is equally of world and Olympic standards," stressed the university spokesman yesterday.
Olarewaju said that OAU was not only going to host a modern NUGA edition, it is going to set example for other universities to follow in subsequent editions.
"Without sounding immodest, OAU is good in everything whether academics or sports. We are going to host and win. We have a culture of excellence here that will not change with this NUGA. Our Vice-chancellor is ready to receive all the trophies while leaving the silver and bronze to others," joked the OAU spokesman.
A tour of the facilities showed that the facilities have been prepared and ready to be handed over to the organizers of the biennial games.
At the main-bowl of the sports complex, groundsmen were seen keeping vigil on the track while the field was freshly mowed. The same attention is being given to the Olympic-sized swimming pool that is one of its kind in the country. It was built by the same Vast International Limited that constructed the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium pool in Port Harcourt that host both the National Sports Festival in 2011 and the African Swimming Championship last year. On how to maintain the facilities after hosting the NUGA Games, Olarewaju told THISDAY that the university has a Physical Planning and Development Unit that is already saddled with the task of ensuring that they are maintained as at when due.
"The university's Physical Planning and Development Unit will handle the maintenance after the Games. They are certified engineers who are members of the Council of Registered Engineers of Nigeria COREN. If you look around, you will see that most of our buildings were built in the 1960s and early 1970s and are still in perfect shapes. It is because of the maintenance culture that operates here and it will be extended to the excellent sports facilities that we have put in place to host this NUGA edition.
THISDAY further learnt that no university will be able to cheat at this edition in Ile-Ife because the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) will be involved in screening athletes that are going to feature at the games.
"After all universities have submitted their entries, the LOC and NUGA will send them to JAMB to verify if they are bona-fide students," revealed a source close to NUGA yesterday.
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