Chief Moses Olalekan, NUGA Volleyball and Beach Volleyball Coordinator
The volleyball courts at the 27th Nigerian University Games Association (NUGA) in Jos delivered more than medals this week, they offered a glimpse into the sport’s emerging talent, exposed infrastructural contrasts with previous editions, and reignited conversations on how university volleyball can reach a stronger competitive standard.
Taraba State University claimed the men’s title after a spirited run through the knockout rounds, finishing ahead of Tai Solarin University of Education, which settled for silver. Obafemi Awolowo University completed the podium with a hard-earned bronze. In the women’s division, Bayero University Kano showed superior court discipline and tactical cohesion to take gold, followed by Taraba State University with silver, and Nnamdi Azikiwe University securing bronze.
Volleyball players at the 27th NUGA games in Jos
Chief Moses Olalekan, NUGA Volleyball and Beach Volleyball Coordinator and a veteran of two decades in university sports administration, told Campulse News that the event has been largely smooth, with 13 male and 10 female teams participating.
But he admitted that comparing the Jos edition with previous ones—particularly Lagos—is unrealistic.
“Fingers are not equal,” he said. “Lagos had more sponsors and more teams. They had 16 male and 13 female volleyball sides. Here, the capacity is different, but the hosts have done their best. Participation may have reduced because of the long journey or because schools are already preparing for next year’s Games.”
Yet, what Jos lacked in numbers, he said, it made up for in potential.
“One thing unique about this 27th NUGA is the avalanche of promising young players. We’ve seen athletes that the national team can track immediately. And the new accreditation system has reduced the problem of mercenaries. Schools now come with genuine students.”
Players Speak: Grit, Fatigue and First-Time Experiences
For Taraba State University’s men’s captain, Abel Bala, the gold medal finish was a breakthrough moment.
“This is our first NUGA appearance,” he said. “We came with the expectation of winning, and God helped us. UNIMAID gave us problems, but we pushed through. We have bright talents and we’re ready to keep improving.”
Obafemi Awolowo University male captain, Philip Douglas, credited resilience for their bronze medal despite the conditions.
“The weather was harsh, but we still pulled through,” he said. “Some of our players were new to NUGA. We came for gold, but we thank God for the podium.”
In the women’s category, Bayero University Kano captain, Baba Faith, said her team fought through shaky phases to secure the title.
“The matches were tough. There were moments we felt like giving up because our passing broke down. But we talked ourselves back into the game,” she said. “We won bronze in Lagos, and we promised ourselves we would return for gold. We’re proud we delivered.”
Nnamdi Azikiwe University captain, Anyado Chineneye, whose team claimed bronze, described their performance as a learning curve.
“For most of us, it was our first NUGA,” she said. “We beat FUTO 3–0 and hoped to push for gold, but we’re still grateful to finish on the podium.”
TASUED captain, Oke Aderemi Samson, whose side narrowly missed the men’s gold title, blamed fatigue from playing two matches in one day.
“We had our semi-final earlier, and it affected us,” he said. “Taraba State University are not better than us, but they fought well. We’ll come back stronger.”
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