By Aliyu Oyewole
Obafemi Awolowo University has finalized the arrangement to host the 2023 multi-sport event among student-athletes from across West African countries, ‘WAUG’. The idea for the WAUG competition emerged from a conference of West African universities in 1964 in Ibadan and has since then become an event to look forward to across the region.
The 14th edition was held at the University of Port Harcourt in Nigeria, lasting from 31 October to 12 November 2018. The 13th edition of the games in 2012 involved 1,443 athletes from 56 West African Universities (6 non-competing) from 5 West African nations where a total of 13 Olympic sports were contested.
In a Press Statement made available to the press, the university affirmed its readiness to ensure that the upcoming sports event is successful and hitch-free. It also made clear it has set all necessary machinery in motion to give a facelift to sporting facilities at the university.
The event will start on Friday, 16th December 2023 and will incorporate various types of sports including tennis, table tennis, basketball, and athletics in which the students will compete for medals. It will be a one-week event which is to end on Friday, 22nd of December, 2023.
According to the statement, the Honourable Minister of Interior, Hon. (Dr) Olubunmi Tunde-Ojo will be the special guest of honor for the opening and closing of the games.