Making Nigeria a Hub of Table Tennis in Africa

As the hue and cry for the revolution of sports in Nigeria continue to attract attention, some of the national sports federations with a specific mention of the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF), are already making appreciable progress at the local and international level that would in no distant time see Nigeria bounce back to its pride of place in the community of sports.

When the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation sometime ago announced its intention to host a week-long international table tournament, it was to some skeptics, one those attempts by some Nigerians to commit fraud of the highest order.

However, the tournament tagged: “Lagos International Table Tennis Classic,” which eventually saw the light of the day in spite of all odds, hosted by Lagos State between August 26 and September 3, 2013 was a huge success by all standards of the game anywhere in the world.

This success of the classic said to be the highest prize money (N6million) table tennis tournament in Africa ever, has today, given the Federation under the leadership of Wahid Oshodin, a big recognition and promotion at the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) level that Nigeria again has been awarded another international table tennis tournament hosting right, the Africa Top 16 Cup in 2014.

However, commenting on this heartwarming development in Nigeria sports, the Africa Table Tennis Federation (ATTF) President, Khaled El-Salhy, affirmed that the Lagos International Classic was revelation that deserves a reciprocation that would further enhance and encourage the growth of the game in Nigeria and Africa in general.

Hear him:  “This is to confirm that ITTF has approved the bid of Nigeria and recommendation of ATTF Executive Committee to stage the 2014 ITTF-Africa Top 16 Cup in Lagos on June 27 to 28 2014. We are confident the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) can organise a Continental/World Title event  successfully.

“The Lagos Classics was successful in terms of media coverage, while the turnout of spectators really gave a good image to the event. Moreover, the technical benefit for Nigerian players was also a big gain,” the ATTF boss said.

He added: “The Lagos Classics was a pilot project for Nigeria and ATTF to use the media coverage to promote advertising/sponsorship resources, as well as the expected technical promotion for all African players especially Nigerian players.”

This no doubt is a splendid recommendation from the African Federation boss, just as the ATTF Vice President, Oladapo Olabanji, a Nigerian  has been exhibiting a strong passion in the development of the game at that level.

Olabanji on his part revealed that: “As I said in one of my interviews during the Lagos Classics that the classics was a test event that will open doors for other ITTF/ATTF sanctioned competitions for Nigeria. The way, it was managed was good and it made it easier for us to push for the Africa Top 16 Cup despite intense lobbying from other African countries to host the competition. We have shown ITTF/ATTF our capacity to organise a good competition and I am sure more opportunities will come our way.”

On some of the benefits, the vice president said: “Nigeria will get equipment from the ITTF that would be used for the competition and ITTF would also send their experts to Nigeria to train our technical officials in our area of needs. Our performances in organising the Africa Top 16 Cup will also open doors for other opportunities, while the presence of top players in the Africa Top 16 Cup and world class players in the Lagos Classics will expose our players and table tennis lovers to high-level competition.”

This story cannot be concluded without hearing from the NTTF President, Oshodi, whom by   his efforts, Nigeria is getting the international attention.

The overwhelmed NTTF boss who described the development as a sign of good things to happen in the future of sports in a chat with the press said that: “We are pleased that the ATTF has deemed it fit to grant the NTTF the hosting rights to the new premier competition in Africa.

“This is fallout of the successful Lagos Classics, which we recently held and it is a recognition of the hard work the NTTF has put in over the last three months in developing the game in Nigeria. To bring the top 16 male and female players in Africa to Lagos will further help in our efforts to popularise the game.

“We have received accolades following the organisation of the Lagos Classics and we are grateful to all our sponsors both corporate and individuals, especially the Governor of Lagos State and lovers of the game who made the tournament successful.

“We would work hard to ensure that we deliver a first class tournament so that the confidence reposed in us by the ITTF will be fully justified,” Oshodi said with emotions.

Just as everyone prays that the Federation builds on this “sweet progress”, other Federations are encouraged to borrow a leaf from the NTTF with all sincerity and commitment rather than waiting for government sponsorship, where they can only provide the enabling environment.