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              Adedoyin Onajobi  Ahead of the Great Ife Students’ Union election, aspirants for the position of Director of Sports unveiled their manifestos and fielded questions from the press on critical issues shaping sports development at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU). The press confrontation, held on July 22 at the 1000 Seaters Lecture Theatre, spotlighted key themes including gender inclusivity, publicity, digitalisation, talent discovery, and the structural future of campus sports. Responding to a question on gender inclusivity, Abudu Ayobami Fatai (Bambam) anchored his vision on “continuity and inclusivity,” emphasizing the need to not only encourage participation but also build confidence among athletes, particularly female students. He stressed that his administration would ensure equal visibility for all sports while sustaining initiatives such as the Sports Fiesta and reviving Inter-Hall competitions. In contrast...

            Adedoyin Onajobi The Interblock Competition has long been a cherished tradition across halls of residence within the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) community, of which Awolowo Hall is no exception. In this year’s edition of the Awoites Interblock Competition, the spotlight extends beyond football, with events also featuring basketball, volleyball, and table tennis. The competition continues to serve as a unifying platform that promotes togetherness, sportsmanship, and healthy rivalry among the various blocks. It commenced on Friday, June 26, at the Awo Hall football pitch and basketball court, which also doubles as the volleyball court, and is scheduled to conclude on Saturday, July 18, 2026. In a conversation with the Awo Hall Sports Secretary, Faleye Ifeoluwa (Falex), he described the opening fixtures as exciting and filled with thrilling moments. He noted that participation among players has been impre...

             Adedoyin Onajobi  As early as 5:30 a.m. on a daily basis, Zuco, a final year student from the Department of Kinesiology and Health Recreation (KHR), who is also the captain of the OAU Handball team, is already awake or at least preparing to be. Zuco sometimes finds it difficult to get up, but by or before 6 a.m., he is already on his feet, rushing to be ready 15 minutes before his 7 a.m. lecture. So, by or before 11 p.m., he will finally fall asleep, till tomorrow where he follows the same routine. Zuco’s reality is not unusual at Obafemi Awolowo University.  Across different Faculties and Departments, a number of students live a somewhat “double life,” in that they attend lectures, write exams, and still represent themselves, their department, faculty and even the university on the pitch, court, and pool, simultaneously. Findings revealed a 64.2% sport participation prevalence among Nigerian undergraduate students,...

            Hikmah Babatunde & Adedoyin Onajobi The maiden edition of the Jot Cup was wrapped up after a brilliant and thrilling performance from the finalists, in the final match held on Sunday, 3 May, at the OAU Training Pitch 1. ‎The finalists, the Department of Physics and Computer Science (CSC), earned their spot in the final, after competing against eight Departments in a total of 15 matches, which included 12 group-stage games, a quarter final, semifinal, and the final showdown. Computer Science, who were the winner of the tournament, began their impressive campaign with a 1–0 loss to Physics in the group stage. However, they bounced back strongly, defeating Mathematics 4–1 in their second match and securing a 1–0 victory over the Department of Agric Engineering (AGE) in their third game.  It must be mentioned that CSC later finished top of their group with six points, scoring five goals and conceding two, with a +3 goal differen...

              Adedoyin Onajobi  While football and other sports  dominate the fields and crowds, another sport exists on campus, less visible, less known, but demanding is the Squash game. Squash is a fast-paced indoor racket sport played in singles (two) or doubles (four) inside a four-walled court where players take turns hitting a small hollow rubber ball against the front wall, trying to make it difficult for the opponent to return. The sport is regulated by the Nigeria Squash Federation (NSF). Here on the OAU campus, squash is one of the least known sports, as most people are not aware that the sport exists even though there is a squash court at the university Sport Complex. It is believed that playing squash can improve bone mineral density. One thing that makes the sport unique is that players have to be fit to play it, compared to other sports where you play to get fit . Squash is a fitness game that requires agility and f...

            Adedoyin Onajobi  The Department of Physics football team has been crowned the champion of the 2026 OAU Supremacy Cup, after defeating the Department of Business Administration, in the one legged final round of the competition, held today, Thursday, 30 April., with the winning team presented medals, awards, and a cash prize of #250,000. After an intense and thrilling performance from all the competing departments, the grand finale of the 2026 OAU Supremacy Cup, also known as the OAU Champions League, was held today at the OAU Training Pitch 1.   The league, which commenced on Tuesday, 7 April, was wrapped up with an electrifying performance from the finalists, the Department Physics and Business Administration. In just 13 minutes into the game, an early goal was scored by the Physics side by the center forward, Precious, giving them the lead and courage to win the competition.  With great passion, the ...

             Adedoyin Onajobi                            The second leg of the OAU Supremacy Cup semi-finals took place on Monday, 27 April, at the OAU Training Pitch 1. The match witnessed outstanding performance, tension, drama, and decisive moments. In the first leg, Animal Science and Physics played out a goalless draw, while Business Administration secured a narrow 1–0 win  over Mathematics, courtesy of a goal from Damilare. Meanwhile, the second leg brought more intensity, as Physics and Animal Science settled for a draw in an intense encounter, with an aggregate score tied at 1–1, the match was decided by a penalty shootout, where Physics edged past Animal Science 7–6 to hitch  their place in the final. Similarly, in the first leg between the Mathematics and Business Administration Department, the Mathematics side was defeated with a 1-0 win. ...

           Adedoyin Onajobi                                Photo Credit: Arteta Media  The Supremacy Cup quarter-finals delivered high-stakes drama across both legs, as teams fought relentlessly for a place in the semi-finals in a round defined by tension, fine margins, and standout performances. Business Administration edged past Accounting in a fiercely contested tie, showing composure when it mattered most. After securing a narrow 1–0 advantage in the first leg through Seanpaul’s penalty, they held firm despite a second-leg response from Accounting, sealing qualification on aggregate and proving their resilience under pressure. The Department of Animal Science also booked their place in the semi-finals, overcoming Philosophy across two legs. Fiyin once again rose to the occasion, finding the net and continuing his impressive scoring streak to guid...

           Adedoyin   Onajobi                                       Photo Credit: Arteta Media                            The OAU Supremacy Cup matchday 3, took a dramatic turn in the tournament, as teams battled fiercely for qualification, with goals, upsets, and eliminations shaping the next phase of the competition, as the league proceeds to the quarter finals. One of the exhilarating moments in the match witnessed the Department of Animal Science (ANS) football team deliver a fascinating dominant performance, thrashing the Department of Kinesiology and Health Recreation (KHR) football team 5–1, in a one-sided encounter.  In this match, Ajilore (an ANS player) stole the spotlight with a “Hat Trick,” while Fiyin and Ibrahim also found the back of the net to se...

                Adedoyin Onajobi The organiser of the Great Ife Unity Cup, Bambam Hubs, have announced the conclusion of the maiden edition of the tournament's draws, releasing fixtures ahead of the tournament’s kickoff, on Wednesday, 15 April. Unity Cup is a newly introduced football tournament in the university community, set up to foster unity amongst the numerous indigenous associations in the university, with eight different states' indigenous associations, divided into two groups, will compete against each other, in quarter-finals, semi-finals, and final matches. The indigenous associations participating in the maiden edition tournament include; NAOSS (Ogun), NAOSS (Ondo), NAOSS (Osun), FOSSU (Oyo), FESU (Ekiti), NADESSTU (Delta), and FONSA (Northern States).  Representatives of the participating associations were present at the draw, with the exception of the Northern and Delta associations, which we...