Where Are the Champions? Why NUGA 2025 Will Be a Gold Medal Lottery

The 27th Nigerian University Games Association (NUGA) Championship, soon to be hosted by the University of Jos (UNIJOS), is missing its heart.

Though the athletes are preparing to compete,diminished squads of the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) and Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) do represent a significant loss to the overall spectacle and competitive level of Nigerian collegiate sports.

Even if the traditional powerhouses are present, their gold-winning core is not.

Reason for Exclusion: The Sessional Strike

The blow to both institutions is purely administrative as several top athletes from both universities have been ruled ineligible due to accreditation rules that are linked to academic calendar mismatches.

NUGA’s strict eligibility mandate requires athletes to be registered under the 2024/2025 academic session. However, due to delays, OAU is reportedly still officially running the 2023/2024 session, and UNIPORT faces similar overlaps.

This ruling disproportionately impacts final-year and penultimate-year students, the most experienced and decorated competitors.

The result is actually a bitter pill for many athletes who have trained extensively for the Games and have been deemed ineligible during the final screening. It's a frustrating situation because administrative scheduling has overshadowed years of athletic sacrifice.

Why Their Absence Matters: A Dynasty Dented

Few institutions have shaped the modern era of the Games but the likes of OAU and UNIPORT cannot be matched but now their weakened presence creates a void that will be felt not just in the medal counts, but in the competitive aspect of intensity of the tournament.

UNIPORT: The Benchmark Is Broken

UNIPORT is the benchmark for excellence in a dynasty that has dominated the last decade, lifting the overall title in three of the last four editions (UNILAG 2022, UAM 2017, and OAU 2014).

They hold the legendary record of 70 gold medals captured at the 2017 Games in Makurdi and that dominance was built on the backs of serial winners across individual sports.

OAU: The History Is Half-Told

A founding pillar of NUGA, OAU brings a rich blend of history and pedigree, having successfully hosted the Games three times (most recently in 2014).

Their alumni roll call includes African 100m record holder and Olympic medalist, Olusoji Fasuba.

At the 26th NUGA Games in 2022, OAU finished 6th overall and reached the men's football final, narrowly missing gold in a tense penalty shootout.

The Gold Rush Is Open in Individual Sports

The biggest competitive deficit will be visible in the very events where these giants cemented their legacy.

While both OAU and UNIPORT managed to field a few remaining eligible athletes, the loss of firepower is concentrated in the sports that traditionally generate the most medals.

UNIPORT’s gold rush was built on dominance in Swimming, Judo, Taekwondo, and Athletics technical sports that rely heavily on the experience of final-year athletes, now barred from competition.

Similarly, OAU’s competitive edge in Track and Field and their team fight in Football will be severely diminished.

The question now is not merely who will win the 27th NUGA Games, but who has the depth to fill the void of missing talent.

This unfortunate administrative lapse now represents a massive opportunity for second-tier contenders.

For the rest of the competing universities, the path to gold is suddenly clear

The undisputed kings have sent a weakened force, and the throne is now up for grabs.