CLOSING REMARKS BY THE VICE-CHANCELLOR OF OBAFEMI AWOLOWO UNIVERSITY, PROFESSOR ADEBAYO SIMEON BAMIRE, AT THE CLOSING CEREMONY OF THE 15TH WEST AFRICA UNIVERSITY GAMES (WAUG), HELD ON THURSDAY 21^ST DECEMBER, 2023 AT THE UNIVERSITY SPORT CENTRE

Protocol

Principal Officers

The WAUG President – Mr ShaibuIbrahim Tanko

The Secretary, General Papa Serigne

Mr. Bola Orodele

Games Officials from all the Universities here present

Athletes

Distinguished Guests and Participants

Gentlemen of the Press

Ladies and Gentlemen

GREAT IFE!

All Viewers of the various events live all over the world – Good Morning!!

I would like to start by giving glory to God for the successful completion of this intense one-week sporting event of the 2023 WAUG Championship (TATTB). This great event is happening at a good time on the soil of our great University – The Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife. I am particularly happy for this generation of students who have been privileged to witness and partake in this event. It has been a whirlwind of excitement, energy, and emotions. It is a privilege of a lifetime and I sincerely congratulate you ALL.    

Since the arrival of the participants seven days ago, we have been admiring your outstanding performances, dedication, and achievements.

I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to all the stakeholders who have contributed to the success of this year’s WAUG. Our students across all Universities present, staff, coaches, officials and management team have put in an immense effort towards ensuring the success of this event. I would also like to commend the organizing committee (both local and international) for their hard work and dedication in planning and executing this event. Thank you all most sincerely.

We have all seen the Games, and cheered our favourites! It is now time to bid ourselves goodbye! However, permit me to reflect on some take-home points based on my personal experiences of this event. It takes a whole lot of commitment, dedication, hard work, selflessness and team spirit to break boundaries and barriers as demonstrated by all the participants. The idea of hosting this game was a true test of institutional determination and commitment amid several challenges and constraints. This therefore shows that we can achieve great things despite challenges if we do not stay complaining about those challenges but creatively evolve strategies to address them. Take this as a life lesson wherever you find yourself, you can achieve greatness despite your limitations. The second point is in the value of unity in Africa. To all stakeholders involved, I salute your strong sense of patriotism and oneness of purpose despite some noticeable shortcomings, we have all made it happen.

The individual participants have shown us that there is beauty in healthy competition. I would like to commend all participants for their exceptional performance. They have displayed a high level of sportsmanship, discipline, and commitment throughout the event. I saw an unbroken spirit of cooperation between teammates. I also witnessed the opposing team cheering their opponents to victory – This is a celebration of Sports spirit as we have made memories that will last a lifetime. You not only showed respect for one another, but you also supported yourselves in the attainment of victory. The lesson here is that we need to learn to work together, lifting others while setting aside our differences to achieve a common goal, as a tree does not make a forest and no man is an island!!! The outcome of this Game has taught us a great lesson, inspiring all of us, and in particular, our leaders, and resonates well with the theme of this year’s WAUG – “Promoting Unity and Excellence in West Africa through Sport”.

For the competition, we had 22 Universities from the West African sub-region with 296 delegates and over 25,000 viewers watching the events all over. In this Games, 45 Gold, 44 Silver, and 54 Bronze Medals were won by the different Universities.

Congratulations to the medalists. You have toiled day and night you have practised very hard and now your labour is being rewarded. Please wear your medal with joy and feel great about it. There will be more medals for you in the future. These medals are only symbols that you have the potential to excel and rule your world. The lesson is that you must always strive for greater heights through the instrumentality of hard work, perseverance, commitment, focus and strong ethical values. Again, I say congratulations to all the medalists! Congratulations also to those who were unable to win any medals! Whether medals are won or not, YOU ARE ALL WINNERS!! The fact remains that with your active participation in the Sporting events, you have been richly blessed in terms of fitness, well-being, and happiness. This is because Sports entails purposeful and meaningful social relationships. Thus, winning or losing in sports or athletics is not as important as the “Trophy of Happiness” associated with your participation in the games.

I wish to express our gratitude to the Officials and Volunteers of this great event: The WAUG President – Mr ShaibuIbrahim Tanko; the Secretary-General, Papa Serigne; and our own, Mr. Bola Orodele. I appreciate the Provosts, Deans, Directors, Heads of Departments/Units, All Staff and Students, as well as the entire University community. Let me specially recognize and thank the HODs and staff and students of the Music and Building Departments; Director of our Division of Works and Maintenance and his team, as well as the Chairman Security Committee and his team for their immense contribution to the success of this Games.

Now to those I refer to as Champions, these include- all organizing committee members; all officials; participating institutions across West Africa; all participating sportsmen and women; visitors; sponsors; spectators from other institutions, spectators from Ile-Ife and all over the world; musicians, medical team; media; my special, vibrant and dynamic one-and only one of-a-kind – Great Ife Students! GREAT IFE!!! Please rise and give yourselves a good round of applause!!! Congratulations to you all, we all made it happen. So, together, we are all champions because it is our collective effort!      

In conclusion, kindly take home some of the lessons you have learnt during this event. I am sure that Africa will be great if we continue to re-assure ourselves of these virtues and imbibe them in our individual lives. We must continue to invest in our common goals and heritage. WAUG must continue to wax stronger and stronger through our commitment. The spirit of WAUG must not die! We look forward to hosting the full WAUG soon. So, until then, let us keep the spirit of Sports alive.

On behalf of the University management, Senate, staff, and students, I bid you all farewell and a safe journey to your respective destinations.

On this note, I hereby declare the 2023 West Africa University Games closed.

Thank you and God bless.

Professor Adebayo Simeon BAMIRE

Vice-Chancellor.