Director General of the National Institute for Sports (NIS), Comrade Philip Shaibu, has congratulated Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, on its impressive performance at the 15th West African University Games (WAUG), where the institution emerged overall champion.

Shaibu, in a congratulatory message on Wednesday, commended the university for its remarkable showing throughout the competition, describing its triumph as a reflection of hard work, discipline and sustained investment in sports development.

OAU finished top of the medals table after outperforming 22 other participating universities, amassing 122 medals comprising 33 gold, 50 silver and 39 bronze. 

The Ile-Ife based institution's impressive medal haul underlined its dominance at the regional university sporting event.

The University of Ghana finished second with 59 medals, including 26 gold, 21 silver and 12 bronze, putting up a strong challenge in the competition.

 Meanwhile, Shaibu acknowledged the efforts of other participating institutions, noting that the games provided a valuable platform for young athletes to showcase their abilities and compete at the regional level.

The NIS boss expressed optimism about the future of Nigerian sports, saying the performances of the country's universities demonstrated the potential of emerging talents.

 He reaffirmed the institute's commitment to supporting university sports as an important avenue for talent identification and development. The Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), finished at the bottom of the final medals table.