Ndah Olanrewaju Adeboye is one of the participants in the 2024 All African University Games (FASU 2024) Green Recycling Challenge.

The 400-level University of Lagos (Unilag) Industrial Mathematics student who has been gathering bottles at the Unilag Multipurpose hall, a venue where athletes and officials take their meals, is currently leading the GREEN FASU Challenge.

This kind of gesture earned Japan football supporters club an award after the 2018 FIFA World Cup for picking up waste materials at the stadium despite their loss 3-2 to Belgium in the Round of 16 of the tournament.

He opened up on the motive behind the challenge and what he stand to gain as a participant.

“The Green FASU program is a challenge that is organised by Greenhub in partnership with UNICEF,” Adeboye asserted.

“It is to encourage sustainability growth amongst youths and encouraging recycling amongst youths and athletes alike.”

GREEN FASU Recycling Challenge hopes to leverage the FASU Lagos 2024 sports event to promote sustainable environmental practices and climate change action among African youths.

“We noticed there are lots of wastes in different places. These wastes can be recycled. Many of it just stay on the road and cause many health hazards. The goal of this program is to encourage people to go into their community and try to recycle plastics and wastes,” He added.

“As a volunteer, I think I am not going to get something but if I was an athlete, the more bottles picked increased the chances of winning. The top six stand the chance of winning a tablet, phone, laptop, and other prizes.

“Currently since I am number one, probably they would change their mind.” He concluded.

Athletes will not only earn medals on the field but will also be rewarded for their commitment to sustainability during the games.

Written by Oyediji Oluwaseun, Media Volunteer