Right from inception sports has been part of University programmes in Nigeria. The operation of sports programmes at the competitive level is operated through the Nigerian University Games Association (NUGA). It organizes interuniversity sports competitions every two years.
Universities are suppose to be centre of excellence in all fields of human learning and development. The university as an institution is designed to provide a forum for young people to acquire knowledge and prepare for a productive life. Sport is an integral part of this programme and process.
This is far from it in University of Jos system. The orientation and programmes of the University system have been more of academics and very little about sports. Students consequently participate in sports as either professional or recreational activities are mostly frustrated by chocked academic programme with little or no time for sports.
It is common knowledge that university sports activities operate at the fringe of the academic programme. Hence, Lectures are programmed with little or no time for sports,
Sports facilities in the universities are rickety, degrading and dilapidating; imagine students buying balls, net and patching tennis court with what suppose to be their Pocket money…This is absurd.
I know that this situation is also applicable to some other higher institutions in Nigeria. There a compelling need to retool the University system to be more relevant to sports development in Nigeria. I think the minister of sport and all other parastatals that are in charge of this should look into this mundane and let it stop.
