The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has been advised to imbibe the spirit of sportsmanship in order to move Nigeria Football and sports forward.

The Chairman, University of Ilorin Sports Council, Prof Basil Ekeh, gave this advice penultimate Wednesday (June 1,2016) at the 2016 Vice-Chancellor's Sports Festival where students from the various Faculties and Academic Departments competed for laurels in Badminton, Tennis, Athletics, Taekwondo, Judo, Handball, Basketball, Scrabble, Chess, Ayo, Football, Volleyball and Table Tennis. Worried by the incessant in-fighting at the NFF headquarters, Prof. Ekeh urged football lovers to put Nigeria first.

He noted that the 2016 edition of the Vice-Chancellor's Sports Festival was better organised than the previous ones, saying that this is a good indication that the University is preparing adequately for both the forthcoming West African Universities Games (WAUG) and the Nigerian Universities Games (NUGA).

Meanwhile, two Deputy Vice-Chancellors who graced the occasion counseled students on the need to embrace active sporty lifestyle even as they concentrate on their studies, noting that a healthy mind needs a healthy body to function optimally. While the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Prof (Mrs.) Nike Ijaiya, encouraged students to be up and doing, concentrate on their studies and be law-abiding, her counterpart, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Management Services), Prof Yusuf AbdulKareem, appreciated the efforts of the organisers of the Sports Festival and urged the students to develop themselves intellectually, physically and mentally. Prof Ijaiya also expressed pleasant surprise at the turn out of students who came out in large numbers to support their Faculties. She further enjoined students to compete for laurels in coming editions of the festival.

In the football event, the Faculty of Engineering team, considered to be the underdogs before the games, defeated the Faculty of Education team in the finals to bag the coveted gold medal while the Faculty of Life Sciences team claimed 3rd spot after defeating the Faculty of Clinical Sciences team on penalties. Eloji Stephen from the Faculty of Education led all comers in 110metres men hurdles to become the fastest man on campus. Olamide Oladipo from the Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry and Adesina Paul from the Faculty of Arts came second and third respectively.

In the women's 110metres hurdles, Osiagugor Babra, also from the Faculty of Education beat Otairu Mariam from the same Faculty and Ogbole Comfort from the Faculty of Basic Medical and Health Sciences to the second and third positions respectively.