By Ofili Nonso
It was a 10-day event that started on March 16 and ended March 26, 2022. With a record 7,000 student athletes and officials from over 76 universities featuring a total of 21 sporting events. Apart from the NYSC, the NUGA games is the only other single largest gathering of Nigerian youths.
Unilag hosted the games for the fourth time in the 56-year-history of the games, the first time was in 1958, then 1978, 1998 and 2022. The events at this year’s NUGA ranged from football; athletics; badminton; hockey; cricket, and others. Artists like Pheelz, 9ice, Magixx from Mavin records, Kennyblaq, Laycon and many others thrilled the audience with good music and vibes.
Of course, in a gathering of Nigerian students, there will be drama, the fun seekers, the serious and crazy. It began with the bus that conveyed Uniben students to Lagos, the vehicle which some joked, “couldn’t do molue in Lagos.” OAU defied the “20 students” rule and came with close to 500 students singing their anthem for the world to hear.
There was the initial lash on the condition of the host’s student hostels. University of Ibadan went macabre by bringing a casket labeled RIP UNILAG to the pitch, a match they unfortunately lost. Unilorin and OAU also created some beef after their football match ended in a penalty shootout, the former winning the game.
The University of Port Harcourt won 120 medals, University of Lagos, 86 medals, and Nile University won 38 medals, ranking as 1st, 2nd and 3rd. The games closed with a ceremony at the university pitch. To crown the events, two gold medalists and lovebirds showcased a public proposal at the games. NUGA2022 is best described as an experience “never to be forgotten”.
Love it!
Lmfaoo. UI brought their own coffin, and got buried on the pitch. Perfection 😹😹😮💨
Nuga2022 was a huge one….Even though my school disappointed me in the football events,I enjoyed every bit of the Nuga games
Omo, that final basketball game was madddd
Can’t wait for the next one to be honest.