The management of Nigeria’s Premier University, University of Ibadan has been urged to come alive to their responsibility to provide enabling environment for the thriving of sports teams from the University by ensuring adequate representations in major known sports fiesta including Nigerian University Games, NUGA.
DECENCY GLOBAL NEWS reports that failure for the University to register and attend well known competitions have hindered the enormous potentials in the students’ population, “Such limitations severely hinder the exposure,
experience, and recognition that our athletes deserve”.
The group also bemoaned the “Neglect of Inter-hall and Inter-faculty Competitions in UI”.
Pouring out their frustrations in an open letter to the Vice Chancellor, University of Ibadan, Professor Kayode Adebowale, Sportsmen and Sports team Captains in the University of Ibadan deplores lack of sporting facilities in the University and failure to allow them access the few sports facilities in the campus.
They alleged pointedly that there’s no badminton court in the University, neither is there a dedicated place for table tennis.
The letter copied to The Chairman of Sports Council, Director of Sports, Council of Hall Chairpersons and Faculty Presidents, Dean of Students, The Students Union Executives, Union of Campus Journalists and The DVC Admin in its five-point demands called “for full participation of university teams in all relevant external competitions, effective IMMEDIATELY from the upcoming NUGA Games holding in November 2025. “Resume regular hosting of Inter-hall and Inter-faculty sports events.
”Provide timely and adequate access to sports council transportation without additional the campus financial burdens.
”Begin to provide sports equipment for the different sports.
”Our athletes are committed to representing the University of Ibadan with excellence, but such challenges significantly impede our ability to perform at our best. It is important to note that all students of university of ibadan pay sports levy, so we ask and stand with all students to demand that the sports levies be put into good use for the benefits of all sports. This is outrageous and absolutely unheard of!”
See the Open letter:
”OPEN LETTER TO THE MANAGEMENT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN FROM:
SPORTSMEN AND SPORTS TEAM CAPTAINS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN
Subject: Urgent Concerns Regarding Sports Facilities, Participation, and Support
Dear Esteemed Management,
We, the undersigned, representing the sports teams of the University of Ibadan, write this letter to formally draw your attention to several pressing concerns affecting the welfare, performance, and
morale of student-athletes in our institution.
1. Restricted Access to Sports Facilities
It has become increasingly common for sports teams to face restrictions or outright denial of access to the university’s sports facilities. On multiple occasions, teams have been asked to vacate these facilities while in use. With important upcoming competitions, such restrictions are not only counter-productive but also undermine the preparation and competitive readiness of our teams.
2. Limitations on External Competition Participation
Our teams sports have also faced repeated restrictions from participating in, or representing the university at, significant external competitions, including WAUG (West African University Games), FISU (World University Games trials), AIl African University Games, and Nigerian University Games, (NUGA), among others. Such limitations severely hinder the exposure, experience, and recognition that our athletes deserve.
3. Neglect of Inter-hall and Inter-faculty Competitions
Despite the payment of sports levies by all students, no Inter-hall or Inter-faculty competitions have been hosted in the past two academic sessions. These events are crucial for fostering healthy competition, talent identification, and team spirit among students.
4. Limited Use and Accessibility of Sports Council Buses
The sports council buses, intended to support sports teams in attending competitions, are rarely available for use. On rare occasions, when they are accessible, teams are required to pay additional fees. For instance, in the last session, while a school team had a tournament within Ibadan using a chartered bus, the official school team bus was returning to campus, highlighting a lack of prioritization for athletes.
5. Unavailability of Training equipments and lack of concern regarding such: All sports in the university always have to purchase training equipments from the pockets of the sports persons participating. No sport has any equipment that can be said is for the said sports team.
Notably, there’s no badminton court in the University, neither is there a dedicated place for table tennis.
We respectfully urge the management to with immediate effect:
1. Ensure unrestricted access to sports facilities for all registered sports teams.
2. Allow full participation of university teams in all relevant external competitions, effective IMMEDIATELY from the upcoming NUGA games holding in November 2025
3. Resume regular hosting of Inter-hall and Inter-faculty sports events.
4. Provide timely and adequate access to sports council transportation without additional financial burdens.
5. Begin to provide sports equipment for the different sports. Our athletes are committed to representing the University of Ibadan with excellence, but such challenges significantly impede our ability to perform at our best. It is important to note that all students of university of ibadan pay sports levy, so we ask and stand with all students to demand that the sports levies be put into good use for the benefits of all sports. This is outrageous and absolutely unheard of!
We hope this letter will be received with the seriousness it warrants and prompt immediate action to address these issues.
Thank you for your attention and anticipated cooperation.
