Date: 2017-10-13

The University of Ilorin management says it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development (FMYSD) on hosting the National Youth Games (NYG).

The institution's Director of Sports, Prof. Olawole Obiyemi, told newsmen on Thursday in Ilorin that the hosting right is for five years.

He said the signing of the MoU took place on Wednesday in Ilorin and the university community looks forward to bringing the youths back to the institution in 2018.

"The university is delighted to be hosting the NYG for the next five years because it has always loved its positive impact on the youths," Obiyemi said. Speaking on the institution's gains while hosting the Games in the last two years, the Director of Sports said business within the university community improved substantially as well as transportation system.

"Also, we have been able to expose these youths (athletes) to a university environment.

"This is enough for them to also want to go to school and become something meaningful to the society in the future.

"The economic situation of the university community improved and everywhere was agog during the Games.

"And this was not limited to the institution alone, but the Kwara capital city of Ilorin as a whole," Obiyemi said.

The Director of Grassroots Sports Development at the FMYSD, Dr. Ademola Are, confirmed the signing of the MoU.

"It is a welcome development to sign a five-year hosting right with the University of Ilorin.

"The university is ideal for hosting sports activities and other youth programmes.

"We considered renewing our contract with University of Ilorin because of the favourable environment of the institution.

"We also considered the sterling figure of the outgoing Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Abdulganiyu Ambali. He has been very supportive and accommodating," he said.

The Ministry of Sports did not want what is happening to the National Sports Festival to happen to the youth games and therefore decided to remain with Unilorin.

"Rather than have a situation where we will labour so much to get a new host, it is better to stay with one that is established with us already," he said. The ministry was however open to considering any other host institution as its alternative plan if it received such offer before the end of the new five-year agreement with Unilorin.

"As for the ministry, University of Ilorin is the best option for now," he said.