NUGA 2022: Ogundipe expresses delight as athlete proposes to teammate
By Joshua Hussain
The Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Professor Oluwatoyin Temitayo Ogundipe expressed his utmost delight in the event of an athlete’s marriage proposal to his teammate after a handball match.
At the NUGA closing ceremony, on Saturday, March 26, 2022, the Professor, while recounting the successes of NUGA 2022, announced his pleasure in the rare occurrence.
In the UNILAG handball court, Joseph Ambule, a handball student-athlete from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, got on one knee and popped the big question to Hashimu Sa’adatu, his team and school mate.
“We have hosted these games successfully, peacefully with students making their networking. The icing on this program is, the two athletes that proposed to one another.
“They are from Ahmadu Bello University. I’m sure that guy has been eyeing that girl for a long time, and when the opportunity came, he quickly latched onto it and got the gold medal, and the girl also got the gold medal.
“I accept to be the father of the day. So you can see what this competition has brought, that these people will never forget this program,” the Vice Chancellor said, after which he excitedly called the duo up for recognition.
The closing ceremony of NUGA 2022 was studded with many exhilarating presentations. To open the floor, after the national anthem, was a march past by the school’s Man O’ War division, in honour of the VC, and the parade of the Grand Trophy.
The NUGA president, Professor Stephen Hamafyelto, the former UNILAG VC, Professor Rahman Bello, the Pro-Vice Chancellor, UNIJOS, Professor Attahiru Jega, graced the occasion alongside other important NUGA and UNILAG stakeholders.
After a session of calisthenic display by students of the University of Lagos Staff School, the trophies were handed to the winner and first and second runners-up, University of Port Harcourt, University of Lagos and Nile University respectively. An award for best-behaved institution was also presented to Benson Idahosa University.
The next edition of the event, NUGA 2024, is scheduled to hold in the University of Jos. It was also announced that scouting for World University games, FISU 2024, is ongoing with effect from the end of the NUGA 2022 closing ceremony.