A light morning rain had only just eased when student-athletes, university administrators and heads of delegation from participating countries gathered at the University of Ibadan Mini Sports Complex Site on Thursday to advance the Green FASU initiative by engaging in a historic tree planting exercise.
The exercise, which signaled the commencement of the 8th FASU AfroVarsity 3×3 Basketball Challenge, was designed to promote environmental sustainability and healthy campus communities.
At this event, representatives from Nigeria, Uganda, Kenya, Benin and other participating nations took turns planting trees thus becoming a visual representation of what university sport can achieve when competition is paired alongside noble causes.
Addressing participants, the FASU Secretary General, Peninnah Kabenge, emphasized the importance of protecting the environment and ensuring that sporting events leave a positive footprint on their host communities. “We must work together to protect the environment,” She said, explaining that each participating institution is encouraged to plant a tree as a lasting reminder of its presence at the tournament.
The Secretary General also highlighted the historical significance of the host city, noting that university sports in Africa was pioneered in Ibadan, thus making the return to the city a particularly symbolic one.
Welcoming the visiting delegations, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan described the institution as a friendly and welcoming host. He expressed hope that the trees planted by the participants during the exercise would become a permanent reminder of the nations represented at the tournament. “The planting exercise of today is to commemorate the Green FASU Initiative and to turn this environment into a FASU park,” He said, adding that the initiative would leave a lasting mark long after the tournament concludes.
As the morning’s activities drew to a close, the Vice President of the Nigerian University Games Association (NUGA) delivered the closing remarks. He reiterated the significance of the exercise and expressed optimism for a successful event while commending FASU’s efforts to integrate environmental responsibility into the event’s opening activities.
As the AfroVarsity Challenge now shifts its focus to the basketball court, sixteen male teams and twelve female teams are set to battle for a coveted qualification path to the FISU University World Cup 3×3 Basketball.
Written by Victor Oluwaseun Olabisi