Professor Mobolaji Aluko, the pioneer Vice-Chancellor, Federal University, Otuoke, Bayelsa, has urged Nigerians to engage in “Ayo Olopon”, a traditional board game in order to improve their mental alertness.
He said, “Ayo Olopon is a game mostly played and enjoyed by the Yoruba ethnic groups in Nigeria for fun and intelligence”.
It is otherwise known as ‘Awele’ and it consists of 12 holes and 48 seeds (small stone like objects) and in the game box, there are six holes on each side which contains four seeds each”.
Aluko, a Professor of Chemical Engineering, made the plea at the ‘Ayo Olopon’ competition in the ongoing 34th edition of the National Festival for Arts and Culture (NAFEST) in Ekiti.
According to him, the traditional board game is a geometrical game that tasks the brain, urging Nigerians to engage in it to boost their mental capability.
“I play Ayo, draft and chess. The Ayo game is specifically a mathematical game that improves mental alertness’’
Packaged By Emmanuel Adeniran
