Jare Olukotun
After three days of intense table tennis actions at the 2nd edition of the Senator Tokunbo Abiru Mixed Table Tennis Championship, the unrelenting Oyo State contingent emerged winners beating the Bayelsa team.
The unrelenting champions, led by the dynamic duo of Wasiu Azeez and Haruna Hussein, proved their worth at the tournament featuring 30 teams from Nigeria, Togo and Benin Republic. Despite being unseeded in the championship, Oyo and the Bayelsa battled their way to the final outplaying top – seeded teams like Lagos, Edo and Kwara.
The final of the tournament, which hosted about 150 athletes, was held at the Molade Okoya – Thomas Hall of the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos, and was witnessed by its top financiers and sponsors , Sen. Tokumbo Abiru and wife, Mrs Feyisola Abiru.
Oyo took an early lead by winning the mixed doubles, but Bayelsa’s Hope Udoaka leveled the score. Azeez then delivered a spirited comeback, overturning a 1-0 deficit to defeat Samuel Boboye 3-1.
Hussein, alongside her women’s doubles partner, Khadijat Okanlawon, sealed the victory by defeating Udoaka and Iyanuoluwa Falana, securing a 3-1 triumph for Oyo.
In the third-place match, Kwara bounced back from their semifinal loss with a dominant 3-0 win over Lagos Team 2, clinching the bronze medal at the N5.5 million prize money event.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, Senator Abiru, who is the Senator representing Lagos East Senatorial District, commended the participants for their gallant performances at the final.
He expressed deep pride and gratitude over the success of the tournament, describing it as a testament to the power of sports to inspire excellence and foster inclusion.
“This tournament has, once again, shown that when we create the right environment for our youth, talent flourishes, friendships blossom, and excellence thrives.
“Throughout the championships, we witnessed an abundance of passion, skills, and sportsmanship. Our athletes from across Nigeria and other parts of Africa, reminded us of the beauty of competition and the unity that sports can foster”, he said.
Abiru, alongside his wife Mrs. Feyisola Abiru, established the tournament through the SAIL Empowerment Foundation, to empower young people and use sports as a tool for social impact. The foundation’s broader mission nurtures talent across technology, entrepreneurship, and innovation.
The Senator commended all players for their dedication and sportsmanship, noting that every participant, medalist or not, was a champion in their own right. He also congratulated the winners for their hard work and discipline, encouraging others to keep striving for excellence.
Acknowledging the support of key partners and officials, Senator Abiru extended special appreciation to Barrister Wahid Enitan Oshodi, President ITTF Africa, ; Dr. Kweku Tandoh, ITTF Africa Chief Operating Officer; Mr. Ferdinard Sounou, ITTF Africa Regional Vice President (West); Dr. Adesoji Tayo, President of the Nigerian Table Tennis Federation (NTTF); and Mr. Deji Abisola, Chief Impact Officer of the SAIL Empowerment Foundation.
“Your efforts have made this tournament not only successful but memorable”.
Abiru also thanked the residents of Lagos East and all guests for their enthusiastic support. The Senator revealed plans to make the next edition “even bigger, better, and more inclusive”.
The Chief Impact Officer, SAIL Empowerment Foundation, Deji Abisola, in his interview with newsmen, reiterated that the Foundation remained focused in creating platforms in sports, tech and entrepreneurship for creativity of young people in Lagos, to blossom.
