Wale Jagun with Kehinde Faleti (SIWES Student)
Come Saturday, November 1, a new set of champions will emerge for the 2nd edition of Senator Abiru Mixed Team Table Tennis Championship, among the over 100 athletes that are competing.
The Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall, Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, venue of the tournament which started last year, again, came alive on Thursday, when the tournament kicked – off, with the initiator and notable sports personalities across Nigeria and Africa, in attendance.
The tournament is being organised in partnership with International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Africa and the National Table Tennis Federation (NTTF).
30 teams from across Nigeria and other African countries are participating in the ongoing three-day tournament which is the first mixed team event of its kind in Africa. Over 40 matches were played on the opening day with many teams exiting the tournament today which is the Day 2, to reduce the number of participants that will be going into the final day.
Senator Tokunbo Abiru, the representative of Lagos East Senatorial District, described the tournament as part of his youth development initiative, while reiterating his commitment to using sports as a tool for youth empowerment
“Table Tennis is also part of the engagement that we have decided to use in developing our youths. It’s all about proving platform for our young people to fix them into our own vision; empowerment.
“We have set up a foundation that is purely funded by my wife, through which we are creating opportunities for youths through our SAIL Innovation Lab. Table tennis is also fit into our ideals because it is an indoor game and we are giving platform to unleash their potentials and help them to develop so that they can be proud ambassadors of this country”.
President of the African Table Tennis Federation (ITTF Africa), Mr Wahid Enitan Oshodi, commended the senator for his support for the game, and for providing young people the platform to excel and compete at international tournaments especially Olympics
Mr Lekan Fatodu, Director – General, Lagos State Sports Commission, also commending Senator Abiru, said that his vision in using sports to develop youths align with the agenda of the Lagos State Government.
Also at present at the opening were Secretary-General of the NTTF, Mr Ilesanmi Akanni, Regional Vice President, ITTF Africa, Mr Ferdinand Sunnu, Dr Peku Tandoh, and Dr Adesoji Tayo among others.
