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By: Ebenezer Bajela
The Vice-Chancellor of the Lagos State University, Prof Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, says the Lagos-owned university will host the best Federation of African Universities Sports festival.
Olatunji-Bello made this known during a press briefing at the Council Chamber of the Babatunde Raji Fashola Senate building on Tuesday to address the media on the update and preparations for the FASU Games tagged ‘Lagos 2024.’
Nigeria hosted the third FASU Games in 2004 at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University in Bauchi.
This edition of the Games holds historical significance as it marks the first-ever joint hosting by two universities and Olatunji-Bello assured that there was no better city to host this year’s edition of the Games than Lagos.
“I am confident that there is no better city to host the finest athletes in African universities at this point than Lagos, the Centre of Excellence and the city of aquatic splendour, home to over 20 million people from all parts of Nigeria and the globe.
“Likewise, the Games could not have had a better co-host than Lagos State University.”
She stated that the sixth goal of the university was to promote sports and recreational activities.
“The FASU Games is a festival of sporting excellence, a celebration of athleticism, unity, community engagement and cultural exchange among university students across Africa, and LASU is proud to be part of this rich sporting heritage,” she added.
More than 3,500 students from about 100 universities in West Africa are expected at the 11th All Africa Universities Games slated from September 20 to 29 and the VC allayed any fears of not being ready.
“Three blocks of hostel accommodations are ready for 2,000 participants in addition to other arrangements to accommodate athletes and officials comfortably,” she said.
“LASU does not only have the physical facilities but also boasts human and material resources to co-host an unforgettable sporting spectacle with over 50,000 young people currently studying on its campuses.”
Meanwhile, LASU Sports Council Chairman, Prof Simon Dosunmu, said they were hosting to win.
“We are putting everything in place to ensure that we can have the best hosting ever. We are hosting to win and we are participating to win. We will compete favourably and lay the template for others to have a launch pad at these Games. The important thing is to watch out for LASU by the time these Games begin.
Ten editions of FASU have been held since inception: Ghana 1974, Kenya 1978, Nigeria 2004, South Africa 2006, Uganda 2008, Namibia 2012, Kenya 2014, South Africa 2016, Ethiopia 2018, and Kenya 2022.