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AlliSports NewsWe have barely even seen lift-off at the 27th NUGA Games, and it has been issue after issue, crisis upon crisis.
What was meant to be a celebration of Nigeria’s best student-athletes, chasing pride and glory as they represent their schools, is now fast becoming an event marked by poor experiences and memories to forget in a hurry.
One of such issues stems from the prestigious University of Ilorin (UNILORIN).
A tertiary institution that has constantly held the torch and shone the light in university sports has now become one that causes heartbreak to young athletes, limiting them from achieving their dreams.
Barely after noon on 5th November 2025, AlliNews gathered that the University of Ilorin had decided to withdraw from the 27th NUGA Games, for reasons best known to the school authorities.
It would be the first time since 1976 that the school would not be participating in the tournament.
This decision greeted the university sports community with shock, as athletes had spent many months preparing for this tournament — with gruelling drills, demanding training sessions, and rigorous practice to remain in top shape.
Alas, it was all a waste.
Athletes were informed via their team captains that the school had decided to withdraw on the very day the contingent was meant to depart, citing financial, security, and logistics reasons.
This move triggered reactions and questions from aggrieved athletes, who demanded answers and a quick reversal from the school authorities.
One particular athlete (name withheld) was especially pained, as she had made countless sacrifices to achieve her NUGA aspirations — dreams now cut short by the school’s decision.
Speaking exclusively with our reporter, she said:
"I have put in too much for this cancellation to happen.
They do not rate us (the athletes). Our voices are not being heard. We just speak, and eventually keep quiet because there’s nothing we can do about it.”
"Right from time, I have always loved sports.
"I joined Unilorin Athletics (main sport withheld) just one month after I became a student of the university.”
"There were times I missed classes because of training. I can’t even count how many classes I have missed,” she recounted.
"I have lost count of the number of opportunities I have sacrificed. I wanted to join some organisations on campus, but because they clashed with training, I couldn’t.”
"I left a particular media house because the time I was given for my show clashed with my sport sessions. I told them I couldn’t make it anymore, and they were all shocked!”
"I would have had a career in journalism by now, but I sacrificed it all for this,” she expressed.
"I said to myself — I cannot sacrifice my sport lessons for anything.”
"I have been doing this sport for more than two years now, and I haven’t gone for any competition.”
"This is not the first time they are doing this.”
"Last year, our coach told us about a competition, but we were told UNILORIN would not fund it, and that we had to fund ourselves.
There is another competition meant to hold in December, but we are certain UNILORIN will not fund it.”
"As of three days ago, I had spent nothing less than twenty thousand naira on my NUGA wears. Yesterday, I spent about ten thousand extra.
Last month, I had to buy a new pair of sneakers and new wears because of this same NUGA. Altogether, that is about sixty thousand naira — excluding previous expenses.”
"They don’t rate us. They don’t regard us. It’s not fair. I am tired.”
"The most painful part is that it was money meant for my new business that I spent — not even on myself, but for NUGA.
I even risked part of my school fees to buy turtleneck wears for this same NUGA.”
“Thank God I have a business I could refund from. What if I didn’t?
I would have been stranded, because I can’t possibly call my parents to say I spent my school fees on NUGA.”
"Most athletes are not rated in this part of the country. Our parents do not sponsor our sporting lifestyle. I sponsor myself.”
"I have not paid my school fees till now because I used part of the money to buy sneakers for NUGA. I can’t tell anybody. I am doing this on my own.
“This is nothing to write home about.”
“This is a passion I’ve been nursing — that UNILORIN wants to kill. I can’t count how many competitions I have missed. This is unfair.”
“Even our coaches couldn’t tell us. It was our captain that broke the news.
I believe we deserve better than this treatment,” she concluded.
It is worthy to note that UNILORIN finished fourth on the overall medals table at the 2022 edition, and one would have thought this feat would spur them to treat athletes better — but the reverse is now the case.
About 83 athletes have now been left in limbo, all hoping for a change of mind from the institution — a hope that now seems unlikely, as the school remains unyielding.
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