Benson Idahosa University has emerged winner of the Nigeria Private University Games Association (NPUGA) Championships with 14 gold and six silver medals.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Benson Idahosa University emerged overall winners from the seven universities that participated in the championships held at Elizade University, Ilara-Mokin, Ondo State.
Athletes who competed in the championships were from Achievers University, Owo; Adeleke University, Ede, and Benson Idahosa University, Benin.
Others are Elizade University, Ilara-Mokin, Ondo State; Fountain University, Osogbo, Osun and Macpherson University, Ogun.
The student athletes competed in five sports including badminton, basketball, chess, tennis and table tennis during the championships held from March 19 to March 22.
Achievers University placed second with five gold, two silver and seven bronze while Lead City University came third with three gold, 13 silver and eight bronze medals.
In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the President of NPUGA, Mr Akintunde Akinola, said that the championship was a prelude to the Games proper scheduled for December.
Akinola said that the NPUGA Games would hold after a six years hiatus caused by the outbreak of COVID-19 and security challenges in the country.
The president said that Achievers University, Owo, had indicated its intention to host the Games, which was last hosted by Turkish Nile University, Abuja, in 2017.
He said that the Games was revived because of the importance of sports to well rounded development of the students.
Akinola said that Achievers University has put in place facilities to host 40 institutions and over 2000 athletes expected to participate in the Games in December.
“I am optimistic that Achievers University will not recant on hosting the Games. The institution signified its intention to host and has adequate facilities on ground for a successful Games,” he said.
Speaking on the concluded championships, the Chairman of the Local Organising Committee, Dr Wole Adamolekun, said that out of the 15 institutions expected only seven eventually attended.
Adamolekun said that the hiatus in organising the NPUGA Games occasioned by the outbreak of COVID-19 as well as the security challenges in parts of the country had been a major constraint.
According to him, authorities of many institutions consider the risks of athletes traveling by road for competitions and expectedly this affected participation at the event.
He also attributed financial constraints as another factor that had affected participation at the championships and solicited the support of corporate bodies in organising the NPUGA Games.(NAN)