GEJ Set To Declare Open 24th NUGA Games

The 24th Nigeria University Games
Association (NUGA) Games will be formally declared
open on Saturday by President Goodluck Jonathan,
an official said on Friday.
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The biennial event which commenced on Wednesday
with the arrival of student-athletes and accreditation
will end on Feb. 22, Cecilia Arinye, a NUGA Council
member has said.
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Arinye, who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria
(NAN), said the president was expected at the
Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun for the ceremony.
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She said: “The Minister of Sports and Youth
Development, Bolaji Abdullahi is also among the
expected dignitaries at the opening ceremony.
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“It is a tradition in NUGA for succeeding event to
outshine the previous ones.
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“The ambiance of festivity hovering around OAU now
is an indication that a lot has gone into the build up for the Games.
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“The presence of the Commander-In-Chief of the
Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria will lay more credence to the event”.
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According to her, the competition is on course
technically as all logistics have been put in place by
the Local Organising Committee in readiness for a
successful fiesta.
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Similarly Emma Okolo, the Team Leader, University
of Lagos (UNILAG), said they arrived in Ile-Ife on
Thursday with 108 athletes for 12 events we have
comparative edge in.
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According to him the events were Athletics,
Badminton, Basketball, Chess, Football, Squash,
Swimming, Hockey, Handball, Table Tennis.