Expertise could be attained from a show of interest, something as cliché as consistency, or even genetic engineering in some special cases. In any of these scenarios, what seemed insurmountable at initial glance becomes what you do with the slightest consciousness. Best part? It amazes people who watch you do your thing so effortlessly and they wonder if they can be that good. Of course, there are chances that they can, maybe through a show of interest, something as cliché as…. Or maybe it’s not just their thing. On our radar for the 4th instalment of this series is a young gentleman whose love for sports is not just words of mouth. It has extended to participation at any level you can think of, class, department, faculty, hall of residence, and the university as a whole.
Aduragbemi is a fourth-year medical student at the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan. Outside lecture theatres and wards, he is a multi-faceted sportsperson well known for his love for volleyball. Known to be a volleyball faithful, Adura maintained his attendance at the volleyball court at the Old Sports Complex, UI, despite the gruelling demands of medical school. Surprisingly, his nickname is not from volleyball but from another sport he’s gain mastery of. Adura started playing volleyball in the second semester of his first year. Before then, he was just a ball boy for volleyball players. He however summoned the courage to ask the coach if he could learn how to play; a step that would later mark the beginning of a coveted journey. The coach was kind enough to accept him and teach him through the basics and soon, he could practice with the team.
He has had a lot of appearances on the court, walking away with deserved accolades but the most recent which earned him a sportlight was the Lotus Bank NiMSA Games 2024. At the competition, he represented the University of Ibadan Medical Students’ Association, UIMSA, in volleyball and was a member of the team that won bronze medal for that category. Speaking about the tournament, he expressed how sad it was to miss out on the gold medal. “The most unforgettable match was against LASU in the NiMSA Games. We dominated the first set 1-0, but fatigue set in during the second, allowing LASU to level the score. In the decisive third set, we gave it our all, but couldn’t clinch the victory. A win would have secured silver or gold, but we had to settle for bronze. The loss was devastating, knowing we had it within reach and let it slip away.”
Since his debut 3 years ago, his incredible trajectory is marked by numerous triumphs on different stages, accumulating an array of medals including; silver medal at Ulympics 2021, bronze medal at Ulympics 2023, gold medal at the Interfaculty Volleyball Competition 2023, gold medal at JCI Volleyball Competition, and a gold medal at Hoya’s Pump Volleyball Competition 2024. In a chat with him, we discovered that he also participates in track events. He is a 200m dash sprinter. However, he could not represent UIMSA in that category because he had a minor knee injury during the Pre-NiMSA heats. Saving the best for the last, his revelation came on the final day of the games. He participated in the swimming events as the only athlete from UIMSA. The Ilaje-born athlete nicknamed ‘Aquaman’ won all 4 male categories of the swimming events – the 50m freestyle, the 50m backstroke, the 100m freestyle, and the 100m backstroke. Chants of ‘Adura’ filled the sports complex as he won gold after gold. UIMSA had only won two gold medals before the swimming events; one from the Male Table Tennis and the Male 400m dash. Aquaman, through the fluid wave-like motion of his trunk and limbs, extended the gold medal count to six. He answered dominance across all races, leaving other MSAs to judge themselves worthy of silver and bronze.
When asked about his nickname, he revealed that he was given when he was in 100 level by his Majority Leader, Babatunde Jamiu, because he was born and raised in a riverine area. Surprisingly, he disclosed that he made his debut in swimming events at the NiMSA Games. He wanted to join the UI swimming team but the pool was closed during the COVID-19 period, making the team inactive. When the pool was eventually reopened, he could not join because of the demands of medical school. Participating in the NiMSA Games, he revealed that he had always thought a trained swimmer would beat him but he remained confident in his ability. He had competed against other swimmers while growing up so he knew he had a chance in Lagos.
Of the races he won, the 100m freestyle event was the most dramatic. For most part of the race, he was just behind the man leading. However, the race took a dramatic turn in the last 15m when he speedily swam past the man ahead of him to win the race. He said this was intentional as he waited till his opponent got tired before he accelerated to the finish line. It is no surprise that he is a huge fan of Michael Phelps; he derives motivation from him. “His consistency in winning Olympic medals, year after year, before retiring is remarkable. Achieving that level of success requires an incredible amount of dedication and hard work”. While he admitted to the difficulty of balancing medical school and sports, he has no plan to stop engaging in sporting activities soon. He sees himself playing volleyball even while practicing as a medical doctor. “Balancing both isn’t really an issue for me. At ABH, many consultants regularly come to play volleyball on Saturdays, rarely missing a session. Most of them played volleyball during their student days, so I don’t see it being a problem for me either”.
To improve sports participation in UI, Aquaman highlighted the lack of proper facilities. He noted that the UI volleyball team has only one ball which was not from the school. It was a donation to the team. He raised the need for better equipment in the UI Sports arenas. Furthermore, he proposed yearly awards for sportspersons in the university and the award of scholarships to dedicated athletes. Adura’s ambitions extend beyond his current successes. With the next NiMSA Games firmly in his sights, he is set to participate in an expanded range of sports – handball, basketball and football – further showcasing his versatility and athleticism.
Adura’s rise to stardom is a testament to his unwavering dedication, tireless work ethic, and innate talent. His influence transcends the playing field as he continues to inspire fellow sportspersons. His promise of future achievements is followed with excitement and anticipation and his passion, resilience and commitment to excellence make him an exemplary role model. The university community eagerly await his continued growth, cheering him on as he breaks records and celebrates triumphs. UIMSAites take immense pride in Adura’s accomplishments and eagerly anticipate his next triumph.
Emmanuel Ibitunde.