On a humid Thursday afternoon, a tennis ball thuds through the air—thwack… thwack… thwack—heralding the sight of two players ensnared in a rhythm older than most students on campus. A pool, its paint chipped, stands behind them, awaiting its comeback. Somewhere within, chess pieces clink, laughter spills from the bar, and Scrabble tiles rattle like dice.
This is the Senior Staff Club! A place you’ve probably passed many times without noticing, as it’s tucked away in a quiet corner of the University of Ibadan. But for those who step inside, it reveals a world of history, community, and a stubborn kind of tradition that refuses to fade. The club’s unofficial opening myth is a legend in itself: back in 1946, a visiting Vice-Chancellor from Aberdeen, Sir William Hamilton Fyfe, was led through the bush to a clearing and presented with a cold Star beer. On that simple delight, an institution was born.
The UI Senior Staff Club, which came into existence in 1958, was never envisioned as just a social club. Its vision from the outset went beyond leisure activities—it was a place where scholarly minds could unwind and enjoy an unfettered exchange of ideas that would impact research, teaching, and administration. And sport? It was never meant as an afterthought—it’s been a part of the Club’s philosophy from the very start.
It was on a Tuesday in April 1958 that the official committee that brought the club to life was formed under the stewardship of a group of Nigerian and expatriate staff. The inaugural committee had names that are now footnotes in the annals of the university’s history: Prof. J.E. Webb (as President), Dr. Mendel, Miss Allen, Miss Thompson, and Dr. Bassir, to name just a few.
And over the years, it’s developed into the quiet sporting heartbeat of campus, keeping the spirit of play alive as the university world outside rushes by.
But in its heyday, that heartbeat was a drum. In “The University of Ibadan Senior Staff Club At 60,” a book of essays and recollections, members recall a “golden era” in the ‘70s and ‘80s when the Club was a “hive of activity.” Friday was Family Night, with movies, dancing, and children enjoying kebabs so famous that their recipe is still debated. It was more than a club; it was the center of the social life of the university, where intellectual arguments were held at “Dudley’s Corner” under a palm tree, and Christmas was heralded by a Father Christmas who once came on a camel and another time was flown in by a helicopter that then-president Prof. Tam David-West procured.
Today, the Club offers tennis courts, badminton, table tennis, darts, Scrabble, chess, volleyball, football, ludo, Whot, and a swimming pool. The tennis courts have been recently renovated; table tennis equipment has been refreshed, but a glaring omission looms: there is no gym.
“The absence of a gym is a major disadvantage we have,” Dr. Oyamakin, the President of the Club, explained, noting they had reached out to Julius Berger in the hope of having a gym project listed under corporate social responsibility. And so far, it’s just that—a hope.
The swimming pool, which was once a major attraction, is also overdue for renovation. It’s a far cry from its October 13, 1962, official opening by the university’s first Nigerian Principal, Professor Kenneth Dike. Swimming was so much a part of club activities back then that members had to earn certificates—from ‘Beginner’ to ‘Competent Swimmer’—before they could enjoy unlimited use of the pool. These days, the Club, as a self-sustaining entity, is forced to depend on donations from well-meaning benefactors and the occasional help from the university management. Unfortunately, this dependence has slowed any major renovations, like restoring the pool—a project that they are hanging on to by the Vice Chancellor’s promise of a contribution and hopes for external donations.
The game of darts, in particular, has a theatrical history at this club. In the 1980s, the Club’s Dart Group was so formidable that they were dubbed the “Worthy Emissary of the Senior Staff Club” after defeating teams around the country. They contributed to the foundation of the All-Nigeria Darts Federation. But their zeal was their undoing when a new Club president, tired of their rowdy celebrations, banned the group from their regular space for making “too much noise.” They were in exile for years, until they were eventually reinstated in 2016—a reflection of the passionate, often politicized, world of sport in the Club.
The Club’s sporting calendar is divided into sessions, each of which has a “purse”—a treasurer of sorts who coordinates all the players and activities in each session. Sessions are specific to each sport and are held on different days. Day-to-day affairs are handled by the president and an executive council, on which there is a dedicated sports secretary. The current council began in November 2024 and will serve its traditional two-year term until November 2026.
By the president’s own admission, participation hasn’t drastically improved, but it hasn’t declined either. “Improving participation was one of my mandates when I became president,” he said, noting that one small change—making sure all the game boards are set out every Thursday—has helped in this.
The sporting scene of the Club is mostly recreational. You will not find Olympic-level training here. What you will find are lifelong members who play to stay young and connected. One Club legend, Professor Abass of the Department of Human Kinetics—who once donned the famous green and white of Nigeria on the world volleyball scene—left his mark before his passing. Closer to home for medical students is Professor ABO Desalu (after whom the Anatomy Lecture Theatre is named), still going strong as an active member at 94 years young.
The president credits the Club’s activities as one of the factors for its members’ longevity: “We have one of our members who just turned 96, with many in their late 80s,” he said. For him, in a university setting like UI, the Club’s sports activities are essential—not only for stress relief but also for combating loneliness and, perhaps, for living longer. Tennis and table tennis are the undisputed major drawcards, with volleyball and board games following close behind. And the least played? Swimming definitely—and by a long way, at that. That pool has seen better days.
Membership is restricted to senior staff, both academic staff and administrative staff at level 8 and above, but associate membership is also available to deserving outsiders, especially coaches, trainers, and philanthropists. Coaches are particularly encouraged to join in order to prepare members for club-ranking events and external competitions. Associate membership offers nearly all the privileges of full membership, except the right to vote or contest in the biennial executive elections. Full staff membership is extended to their spouses and any of their children below the age of 18. Students are not eligible, however.
Equipment is mainly provided by members, and although table tennis racquets and playing boards are available through the Club, members are also welcome to bring along their own racquets. The sporting highlight of the Club is the annual Triangular Games—a competition between Obafemi Awolowo University, UNILAG, and UI. The three institutions alternate hosting the event every year. UNILAG will be coming to Ibadan this November to defend the title they won on home soil last year. Dr. Oyamakin is no mere spectator himself—he competes in almost all the sports, bar swimming, and has several gold medals in the volleyball competitions of past editions. In the lead-up to the Triangular Games, practice sessions and ranking events—especially for tennis—are held over Easter and December.
Looking ahead, the president aims to propose more formal in-house competitions, exactly modeled after the Triangular Games concept, to continue sharpening the competitive edge of the Club. But his ultimate dream—to revive the Club’s spirit—is more personal:
“I want to return the Club to a family atmosphere—with activities for spouses and children and a lively environment,” he said. He’s aiming to bring back the spirit of its famous ‘Friday Family Nights,’ a cherished tradition that once filled the Club with the sounds of movies, music, and a community that included every generation, transforming the Club from a quiet retreat back into the vibrant, family-filled social hub it once was.
Can a club with so much history make room for what’s still to come? Can it welcome tomorrow without losing sight of yesterday? If you listen closely enough, the thwack of that Thursday tennis ball seems to whisper yes.
Here at the Senior Staff Club, age doesn’t mean slowing down; it just means finding a new game to play.