In a significant move to uphold the integrity of its sporting events, Godfrey Okoye University (GOUNI) in Enugu State has announced plans to introduce mandatory drug testing for participants in its annual marathon, starting from the 2026 edition.
A New Era for Sports Integrity
The university's Vice-Chancellor, Professor Christian Anieke, revealed the decision shortly after the conclusion of the Marathon 2025 event, which was held as part of the institution's week-long 13th convocation ceremony. He stated that the initiative is designed to guarantee that all victories are earned purely on merit.
"We want to begin the test next year. We haven't done it before, but we are going to begin it next year. So, next year, the drug test is something we can consider," Prof. Anieke declared during a press briefing. He emphasized that the goal is to ensure "winners would know that they won meritoriously."
For the 2025 race, the university employed photos and video recordings of participants as an initial measure to prevent any form of result manipulation. The planned drug tests represent a major escalation in these efforts to foster clean sports.
Celebrating Excellence in the 2025 Marathon
The recent marathon, tagged "Marathon for Active & Exciting Life Finish," covered a distance of 21.79 kilometres. The route commenced at the Faculty of Law at Thinkers' Corner in Enugu metropolis and concluded at the university's permanent site in Ugwuomu-Nike, Emene, within Enugu East Local Government Area. The event was open to both GOUNI students and the general public in Enugu State.
In the male category, 20-year-old Onyia Kingsley, a 400-level student from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, clinched the top prize of N500,000. He was followed by 23-year-old artisan Odo Emmanuel Chinecherem (N200,000) and Onyia Chukwuebuka (N100,000).
For the females, 25-year-old Elias Jacinta from Kogi State emerged victorious, also winning N500,000. Eze Miracle and Eze Happiness secured the second (N200,000) and third (N100,000) places respectively. Happiness received immediate medical attention after experiencing severe leg pain following the gruelling race.
Broader Support and University Milestones
The event garnered commendation and promises of support from government officials. The Enugu State Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Lyold Ekweremadu, pledged to collaborate with GOUNI to expose talented runners from the marathon to national competitions. "Our long-distance training coach will also work with you and see how we expose you to one of these competitions at the national level," he assured.
Furthermore, the Executive Chairman of Enugu East Local Government Area, Engr. Beloved-Dan Obi Anike, announced that the local council would provide support to the first ten runners in both the male and female categories. He praised the university for "making this mark and becoming a trailblazer in education and sports."
Prof. Anieke highlighted the marathon as a unique tradition, stating, "This is the only university that does this in the whole country. There's no better way of honouring the graduating students."
He also took the opportunity to showcase other notable achievements of the university, which has graduated 4,431 students since its inception. Key milestones include:
- Successful open-heart surgery at its 200-bed teaching hospital.
- Establishment of a College of Medicine.
- Hosting Africa's first DNA Centre, ranked fifth globally.
- Creation of a Robotics Centre and Directorates of Competitions and Entrepreneurship.
- Consistent success in winning competitive research grants for students and scholars.
A historic moment during the 13th convocation was the recognition of Azubuike Ikennam, who was named both "Vice Chancellor for One Day" and "Best Graduating Student in 2025," a first in the university's history.
