1st NIJ Games: Lecturers Strikes Gold

The Captain of the NIJ lecturers' team lifting the 1st NIJ games trophy.

The lectures' football team of Nigeria Institute of journalism defeated the National diploma one students to claim the 1st NIJ Games and crest their names in gold in the competition's history.

The competition which was organised by the post graduate diploma class of 2016/2017 had all levels compete for the soccer championship including the highly intellectual lecturers.

The whole idea of the competition is to create unity amongst students and also to strengthen the lecturer/student relationship.

The lecturers backed by the firepower of the deputy provost, Dr Jide Johnson and the highly athletic duo of Tolu Ojemuyiwa and Tenne with some ex-students in their ranks came from three goals down to stage a stunning comeback to defeat the Higher National Diploma two team in the semi finals to earn their final berth.

The ND 1 students on the other hand defeated the class that hosted and funded the games, the PGD team under the tutorlage of Ayodele Daramola twice went in front through scintillating goals by Harbor Dayo and team captain Uzor Nduka.

However, the game went soar after point man, Aziz Mustapha who had being causing the opposition all sort of troubles was stretched off after sustaining a knee injury. The ND 1 student eventually won the game via penalty shoot out.

The injured striker returned to the field for the Bronze medal match against the HND 2 students. However, with a different nomenclature, which was that of a coach player. Despite going down to a sublime half time strike, the Aziz - led PGD team came back to draw the game 2 - 2 before enthusiastic goalkeeper Segun Adegbite gave the team the day by saving  two key spot kicks to hand the PGD team the bronze medal.

The final match didn't turn out as most pundit had predicted as the youthful ND 1 team failed to find the back of the net as they lost the game 2 - 0 via a brace by a former PGD student of the institute.

The coach player of the PGD team, Aziz Mustapha and one of the key sponsors of the 1st NIJ games, Commoredore Theophilous Ilemore .

The registrar of the institute did the honors as medals were presented to the class that came first, second and third respectively. The trophy was also presented to captain of the lectures' team and it was a wrap.