NUGA: THE COUNT-DOWN CONTINUES

It was another morning again on the 13th February, 2014 when students of Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU, and delegates to the 24th Nigerian University Games, NUGA, woke up to another day of waiting for the games to commence earnestly. As part of preparations and to beat off the boredom, all teams went out early in the morning to keep their adrenaline high and in the process, people from a wide range of places mingled with each other and got along quite well. The possibility of emotional matters cannot however be ruled out as some young men particularly had their eyes on ladies.
On the economic plain, many businesses had sprung up at almost every corner of the university campus especially around the sports complex while they were generously patronized. If this does not defeat the purpose of the university management’s decision to set up a make-shift market for the period of the games is another matter entirely. In the make-shift market itself, traders could be seen moving into their allotted stalls and putting up goods and wares such as food, drinks, clothing, furniture etc. with their patronization also going on. Meanwhile, notices were already put up at the market first, with respect to the modules operandi of traders in the market and secondly, for the prospective sale of the materials used to construct the market stalls immediately after NUGA. (Find copies of both notices attached to this piece).
Hard ware traders were not in any way the only business people present at the event. In just one glance, one could see a lot of banners advertising numerous businesses such as banks, telecommunication companies and beverage producers. Some of them threw the environment agog with blast of music from their tents as they gave incentives to attract the student population to their services.
Away from the hustle and bustle of the sport arena to the residence. Some delegates in the halls of residence were commendable abided by the rules of the host university community while some others simply walked in the opposite direction. From about the second night of arrival, there had been cases of people smoking within the halls of residence, an act strictly forbidden. As a quick response, members of the defunct students’ union security committee embarked on a tour to sensitize and stopped the guests from such and similar acts as it would no longer be tolerated. Worse still is the frank decision of some delegates--from University of Nigeria, Nsukka and Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye for instance—to continue to have their bath, not in the bath rooms provided but outside, in the full glare of the public. This became a source of embarrassment to many students of OAU as they have not ceased to complain.
The opening ceremony for the games have been slated for Saturday 15th February, fingers are crossed and all available hands are on deck to make the day and indeed the entire event a memorable one.
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