Unique Open University (UOU), Ojo, Lagos, has emerged as the overall winner of the maiden Nigeria University Flag Football Tournament, following a thrilling exhibition event organized by the Nigeria Collegiate Flag Football League (NCFFL) — an initiative of the Nigerian American Football Association (NAFA).
The historic tournament which held at the Unique Open University Ikeja Campus, Agidingbi, brought together over 60 student-athletes from tertiary institutions across the country, including the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH), and Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH).
The athletes competed in eight high-energy exhibition games witnessed by over 500 spectators, marking a significant milestone in the development of university-level flag football in Nigeria.
In recognition of the team’s outstanding performance, the President and Founder of Unique Open University (UOU), Prof. Chris Imumolen, awarded the champions a ₦1 million cash prize, commending them for raising the institution’s profile at the national stage.
The reward, he noted, was not merely a celebration of victory but an acknowledgment of the dedication, resilience, and commitment displayed by the players and their coaching crew throughout the competition.
He described the gesture as “an investment in youth excellence and a demonstration of how sports can drive innovation, leadership, and character development among students.”
According to him, competitive sports play a critical role in shaping well-rounded graduates, instilling values such as discipline, teamwork, and perseverance that extend beyond the field of play into academics and future careers.
Prof. Imumolen further stated that despite facing strong and well-prepared opponents from across the country, the UOU team exhibited exceptional teamwork, discipline, and tactical execution. Their ability to remain focused and adaptable in high-pressure situations, he said, was evident in their unbeaten run throughout the tournament, culminating in a well-deserved championship title.
He added that with this historic victory, Unique Open University has become the first university in Nigeria to win a national collegiate flag football tournament, etching its name into the annals of Nigerian university sports. The achievement, he stressed, underscores the institution’s commitment to holistic education and sets a benchmark for other universities to invest more deliberately in sports development as a tool for youth empowerment and national pride.
The event also reflected the broader developmental impact of the NCFFL initiative, with 65per cent of participating athletes playing flag football for the first time, and approximately 25per cent progressing from the Nigeria Secondary School Flag Football League (NSSFFL), underscoring the effectiveness of NAFA’s grassroots-to-tertiary pathway. UOU’s triumph highlights the institution’s ability to rapidly adapt, compete, and excel within this emerging sports ecosystem.
