The first Sports university in Nigeria, located at Idumuje- Ugboko in Aniocha North local government area of Delta state has commenced admission of students,as a special institution to groom young talents in sports.
According to the founder of the Sports university ,Prince Ned Nwoko, who spoke with newsmen at the Idumuje-Ugboko campus, “the school combines sports and education in a unique academic mix ,unprecedented in the annals of Nigerian university system” .Prince Nwoko, a philanthropist and international lawyer said the university is designed to offer certificate,diploma and degree courses in sports as well as conventional academic curricular with ( 4) four faculties, (30) thirty departments and (32) programmes.
He noted that an arm of the Sports university, designated HIGH PERFORMANCE CENTRE has also been established and would provide standard facilities,the latest technology and innovations in sports training and development. Physical sports available at the university included Football, Swimming,Boxing Badminton,Basketball,Lawn Tennis, Table Tennis,Track and Field events,Volleyball,Wrestling,Golf,Hockey,Gymnastics,Taekwando, Squash, Rugby, Cricket and Baseball.
In the words of Ned Nwoko: “This is my dream from decades.To be able to provide an environment where men and women can do sports and also be educated. I love sports,a keen interest I have nurtured from the bloom of youth to adulthood.
“The sports university is so different from the conventional university. It is a special university for the pursuit of sports and education. 80 percent sports and 20 percent academics.
“The idea is to produce world- class sports stars who will achieve Olympic Gold medals,represent Nigeria in World Cup and break international records in sporting events”
Reputed as the first Sports university in Sub – Saharan Africa, it was granted operational license by the federal government,through the National Universities Commission,NUC,on May 21,2022,placing Delta and Nigeria on the world map.
