Students from Universities all over the Country have converged in Jos the Plateau State capital for the 2025 International University Sports Federation,FISU, for the trials of the Nigeria University Games,NUGA, coming up later in the year at the University of Jos.
The Games began on Monday 7th April, 2025 with the Table Tennis event at the Ladi Musa Indoor Sports Hall, Rwang Pam Township Stadium, Jos.
Displaying beautiful skills on the table, the students never hid their intentions to carry the day in their respective games.
Opening the day was a scintillating ping-pong match-up between Boboye Samuel of Benson Idahosa University,, and Blessing Jacob of Niger Delta University, which saw Boboye winning 3-0. On Table 2, Olufesi Daniel of Lagos State University,LASU had the better of Omolola Abdulaziz, Fed Univ .Dutsinma,Katsina 3-0. While, Abdul Qudus, Kaduna State Univ, KASU on Table 3 walked over Okafor Favour of UNN.
Also, Farouk Hussain, walked over Musa Yakubu of UniMaid.
However, it was a nerve-cracking game between Olaniyan Fawaz of Unilag & Akinduru Gabriel of Federal University of Technology,FUTA,Akure, playing a 5-set encounter which saw Akinduru Gabriel of FUTA triumphing 3-2.
In another fascinating Ping-pong encounter that pitched up Boboye Samuel against Nwafor Ozioma, saw Alex Ekwueme University’s Boboye getting the better of his opponent with a win of 3-0. Prosper Obasuyi of Uniben defeated Abdulbasit Yusuf of UniAbuja 3-0 as Owolabi Ojo, UniAbuja defeated Anointing Moses of Niger Delta Univ,NDU, 3-1.
Other Ping-pong games of the day went thus;
- Matthew John (BIU)3-0 Omoloye Abdulaziz (Dutsinma)
- Jimoh Rufaith(LASU)3-0 Boluwatife Mustapha
- Goodness Usang (Unical) 3-0 Sochima Cynthia (Alex Ekwueme)
- Zainab Surmer (LASU) 3-1 Omotosho Ifeoluwa(LASU)
- Favour Akomolafe (Unijos) 3-0 David Ibeke (Alex Ekwueme)
- Abdulsalam Abdul Qudus (KASU) 3-0 Udoh Robert
- Oyewole Samuel (Ilesha) 0-3 Musa Yakubu (Unimaid)
- Hope Udoka(BIU) 3-0 Goodness Usang (Unical)
- Oluchi Amah (Unical) 3-0 Babalola Rosemary
- Farouk Hussain (Al-Hikmah) 3-0 Oyewole samad
- Mohammed Ajape (Unimaid) 3-2 Afolabi Timothy (FUTA)
- Olaniyan Fawaz (Unilag) 3-2 David Ibeke(Alex Ekwueme)
- Udeh Robert(ESUT) 3-0 Adeleke Ayonide(Ilesha)
- Surmer Qudus (LASU) 3-0 Al-Mustapha Adamu Salau( Al-Hikmah)
- Owolabi Ojo (UniAbuja) 3-0 Musa Audu(Unijos)
- Surmer Qudus (LASU) 3-2 Abubakar Abdulsalam Ayodeji(ABU).
The trials continues at various centres today:
Taekwando & Judo will hold at the Indoor Hall of the University of Jos.
Athletics (FieldEvents) holds at Unijos Primary School Ground, Bauchi Road.
Tennis at the Steel Rooling Quaters Court, Rayfield.
While the Swimming events will take place at the Lutheran Church Compound, Old Airport Junction.
Track events will take place at the New Jos Stadium,Zaria Road and Badminton will be at the Federal Ministry of Sports Indoor Sports Hall, Behind Old Government House,Jos.
Speaking to some of the participants after the Day 1 event, the Students expressed their delight in coming to Jos, Plateau State, experiencing the beautiful weather and serenity of the state, natural foodstuff and the friendly people of the state; as they debunked the claims in some quarters that the state is not safe.
They assured that the games will be one that will enhance the quality of friendship between all participants.
Credit: Nathaniel Mobolade,jos.
