By Temiloluwa Erinle
The streets of Akoka are slowly filling up as the University of Lagos sets to host the open ceremony of the 11th edition of the All-Africa University Games, a multi-sport event for student athletes across Africa.
This sports festival, which happens every two years, will be hosted by both University of Lagos (UNILAG) and Lagos State University (LASU); their campuses – at Akoka and Ojo, respectively – will set the stage where over 1500 athletes, across 17 different sports, will display earnest sportsmanship and reach for Olympic glory, according to UNILAG’s communications unit. All coming from universities in 43 African countries, this will be the largest ever, they say.
This edition’s theme reads: Unite, Compete, Excel. In their news website, the University of Lagos’s leadership describe their conviction: “With world-class facilities, electrifying performances, and unforgettable moments, this is more than just a tournament—it is a celebration of African resilience and passion.”
(Official mascot of the 11th edition of FASU Games/Credit: FASU)
The opening ceremony is slated to start by 3:30 pm, according to the school’s communications unit, at the university’s sports complex, and will feature activities such as: “a parade of athletes and teams from across Africa, presentation of flags of participating universities, [the] unveiling of the 11th FASU Games Mascot, [the] lighting of the 11th FASU Games Torch of Unity […] and high-energy cultural performances that bring the heart of Africa to life.”
The All-Africa University Games, also known as FASU Games, is organized by the Federation of Africa University Sports/Fédération Africain du Sport Universitaire (FASU), a governing body that organizes sporting activities in African universities. Its first edition held in Accra, Ghana from December 27, 1974 to January 1, 1975. This new one will be of historic significance as it becomes the first edition to be jointly hosted by two universities, joining a growing trend in larger of world of professional sports.
“As for what we will bring, we will create the fun that went around NUGA,” said Professor Folasade Ogunsola, the vice-chancellor of UNILAG. “The beauty of hosting FASU now is that we don’t have to rethink things from scratch. We thought a lot of things through the last time we hosted NUGA, and we have a template to apply for the games”
This is the second time Nigeria is hosting this event. The last time, it happened 20 years ago (2004) at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, where universities from over 10 countries participated. Moreso, the origins of this event has a tied association with Lagos. According to Wikipedia on the origin of FASU: “the origin of the body can be traced to 1971 when thirty one (31) delegates from seventeen (17) universities in 10 African countries gathered in Lagos with the aim of unifying and improving sporting activities in African universities.”
17 sports, including indoor games, will be played across Sept 22 – Sept 28. The closing ceremony will happen in Lagos State University, Ojo.
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