Photo credit: (tunde onakoya, Salnovae, freepik, pankay singh)

By: Adekunle-Oni Daniel

While academics are your primary responsibility on campus, making time for leisure is equally essential. It is understandable that academic pressure sets in the moment you become a bona fide student of the university, but the value of social experiences cannot be overstated. In fact, your social life often shapes the memories and stories you will share long after your academic journey ends.

At the University of Ibadan, various extracurricular activities exist. Sports, as one of these activities, can help you maintain your sanity and relieve the pressure from classes, assignments, tests, and other academic endeavors. Additionally, it can improve your physical and mental well-being.

If given utmost priority, sporting activities on campus could open up various opportunities, such as participating in global sporting competitions, where you may have the chance to represent the University. Common sporting activities at the University include football, scrabble, taekwondo, volleyball, handball, basketball, chess etc.

Martial Games 

At the University of Ibadan, two martial arts are practiced: Judo and Taekwondo. The Judo team trains at the Gamaliel Onosode Gymnasium centre, located adjacent the Faculty of Education. Over the years, the team has built a prestigious reputation, winning numerous medals at the Nigerian University Games (NUGA). The Taekwondo team, on the other hand, holds its training sessions opposite Bello Hall. As a discipline that involves both fists and feet, Taekwondo equips students with valuable self-defense skills.

Badminton

Badminton is another sporting activity you can explore at the University. The game involves hitting a shuttlecock with a racquet over a net by two opponents positioned on opposite sides of the court. The badminton team trains at the Bello Dome and occasionally at the University gym. The University of Ibadan badminton team consists of seven players. It is a developing sport that is seeking greater support from both the University administration and the student community.

To play badminton, you need a shuttlecock, a racquet, and appropriate footwear. It is a fast-paced sport and can be played in singles or doubles on each side. Badminton requires agility, excellent aerobic stamina, strength, and precision.

Chess

Chess is one of the oldest and most renowned board games, played by two opponents. It is set on a square board with 64 smaller squares arranged in an 8 by 8 grid. The squares alternate between black and white. Each player controls 16 pieces. The goal is to checkmate the opponent’s king by following a set of fixed rules.

Chess has been a tactical and intellectual game among UITES students. By moving pieces around the board and trying to outmaneuver their opponents’ thinking, chess enhances the intellect of student participants. The UI Chess team trains at the Youth Friendly Center, opposite the Faculty of Technology.

Scrabble

Registered with the Nigeria Scrabble Federation, the University of Ibadan Scrabble Club is where word lovers gather. With 50+ members, the club engages in a blend of serious tournaments and leisure games.

Scrabble test critical thinking, strategy, and vocabulary. It challenges players to creatively combine letters into meaningful words under pressure. While it may seem like a casual pastime, Scrabble can be intensely competitive. The University of Ibadan Scrabble team will be ready to welcome new minds. Consider making your mark on the board.

Volleyball

Volleyball was first introduced into Nigeria around 1933 by American Christian missionaries and U.S. Peace Corps volunteers at the Baptists College in Ogbomosho, where it quickly gained popularity among students and local communities.

Volleyball occupies a place of distinction among the University of Ibadan’s sporting programmes. Emblematic of the institution’s commitment to inclusivity, the volleyball squad is co-educational, with male and female athletes sharing court, coach and common ambition.

Under a structured regimen of joint practices — designed to sharpen technical proficiency, tactical awareness and collective synergy — these student‑athletes forge both discipline and unity that define championship‑calibre teams. The volleyball team takes its training exercise at the Sports complex every evening, mostly Saturdays.

Handball

Handball is a high-intensity, fast-paced Olympic sport that combines elements of basketball, football (soccer), and water polo. Played indoors on a rectangular court, the game features two opposing teams, each composed of seven players: six outfield players and one goalkeeper. Handball’s combination of speed, athleticism, and teamwork makes it a captivating sport for both players and spectators alike.

Handball in Nigeria is governed by the Handball Federation of Nigeria (HFN), established in 1972 and affiliated with both the African Handball Confederation and the International Handball Federation. The national teams have made significant strides over the years, with the men’s team participating in the World Championships in 1999 and consistently competing in the African Handball Championships since 1979. The women’s national team has also seen success, including a notable qualification for the 1992 Barcelona Olympics and several African Championship appearances, with a victory in 1991. More recently, Nigeria’s youth teams have gained recognition, with the U-18 men’s team winning the 2024 IHF Africa Continental Trophy and the U-18 women’s team achieving impressive victories in the IHF Trophy Zonal Phase championship in 2025.

Handball is a sport that involves passing a ball, similar to football, but using the hands to move and control it. For those interested in pursuing professionalism in handball at the University of Ibadan, Coach Sola trains the handball team at the handball court located opposite the cricket field in the SUB stadium.

Basketball

Basketball is a popular sport that involves dribbling the ball and passing it to teammates until an opportunity arises to successfully score by shooting the ball into the basket. Basketball training sessions are held at Awo Stadium, where the team is under the guidance of Coach Zika, who serves as the head coach.

The Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF), established in 1963, is responsible for overseeing the development of the sport at all levels, including national teams and youth programs. The Nigerian national basketball teams, both men and women, have achieved significant success on the international stage. The men’s team, known as the D’Tigers, has qualified for multiple FIBA World Cup tournaments and won the AfroBasket Championship in 2015 and 2017.

The women’s team, D’Tigress, has been even more successful, securing multiple African titles and qualifying for the Olympics. In recent years, Nigerian basketball players, such as Giannis Antetokounmpo, who was born to Nigerian parents, and NBA players like Al-Farouq Aminu and Josh Okogie, have gained international recognition, further boosting the sport’s popularity. Basketball development in Nigeria is also supported by local leagues and grassroots initiatives, with various training programs and competitions helping to discover and nurture new talent.

Athletics

Athletics encompasses a wide range of track and field events, including running, racing, jumping, and throwing, among others. The majority of the team’s training sessions are conducted at the Awo Stadium, with occasional bodybuilding exercises held at the school gym. Over the years, the team has successfully developed several outstanding athletes. For instance, Egbeyemi Bowo earned the title of the fastest man at the University of Ibadan three academic sessions ago by winning the inter-faculty 100-meter race with an impressive time of 11.4 seconds.

Football

The UI football team is presently under the guidance of Coach Allen. However, as the saying goes in football, “many are called, but few are chosen.” Given that it is the most popular sport at the University of Ibadan and in the world at large, there are a number of football teams at UI. Various football tournaments, which provide UI student-athletes with a platform to showcase their potential, are held each session. These competitions include SEALS, SIGMA, DEAN Cups, and other tournaments.

In an interview with IndyPress, Kolawole Victor, the Students’ Union Sports Secretary, assured that these sporting activities are undergoing a development plan.

According to the Sports Secretary, adequate arrangements are being made for the upcoming sporting events for the 2024/2025 session. Kolawole further assured the students of a vibrant session in the world of UI sports.

“For the sports we will be having this session, the Seals Cup 2025 is, of course, among those to be continued. The athletes should also expect the VC’s marathon race sometime in the second semester. There will be one of the inter-hall/inter-faculty games as well,” Victor said.

As part of the preparation for the upcoming NUGA games, the Sports Secretary further noted that the school’s sportsmen would take preparatory tours for the Pre-NUGA games. “There will be at least two sets of sports tours across various sports as part of the preparation for Pre-NUGA,” Kolawole Victor added.

Excellence at these sports events has a tradition of bringing recognition to the university’s students. Some students are currently representing the university across the globe. It is on this note that you, as a fresh student, must consider participating in any of these sporting activities. Do not let the opportunities in the world of campus sports pass you by.