OAU Athletes Demand ₦100,000, Medal Rewards, Competition Allowance, Tie WAUG Participation to Payments

Great Ife athletes have demanded ₦100,000 each, medal rewards, and payment of their competition allowance, setting Monday, October 5, 2026, as the deadline for the University Management to meet their demands or risk disruptions to their participation in the ongoing West African Universities Games (WAUG).

While the West African Universities Games (WAUG) commenced on Saturday, 3rd October, with its opening ceremony at the Obafemi Awolowo University Sports Complex, the OAU Great Ife athletes refused to participate in the march-past held there. During the march-past, OAU athletes were not seen, as their coaches took part in the march-past instead

Afterward, the Great Ife athletes demanded that the university pay them ₦100,000 in full on or before Monday, 5th October. They have also demanded that the university management ensure that they are rewarded for each medal won at WAUG, either as a team or individually. In addition, the competition allowance must be paid to every athlete before the end of WAUG. Otherwise, the athletes will stop their participation in the games.

READ ALSO: Association of Great Ife Athletes Bemoan Athletes’ Welfare Ahead of WAUG

Their demands were detailed in the letter dated 3rd October, addressed to the Director, Directorate of Sports, Obafemi Awolowo University, by the Association of Great Ife Athletes. According to the letter, the athletes said they were promised the sum of ₦100,000 (One Hundred Thousand Naira) each, but they had not yet received the money.

The athletes also referred to their demonstration/absence at the opening ceremony, describing it as an obvious sign that they were tired of the poor treatment they had continued to endure. The latest letter follows an earlier letter written to the university on 2nd October concerning the welfare of the Great Ife athletes and the failure to pay their competition allowance.

The Association of Great Ife Athletes said the requests were made in good faith and urged the university management to treat the matter with utmost urgency so that the athletes could focus fully on bringing honour to Great Ife.