The 14th edition of the annual Aso Table Tennis Club national championship is to be held 4-8 May, 2021 at the package B of the MKO Abiola National stadium in Abuja.
Addressing the press, the Chairman of the club, Dr. Olusegun Ajuwon, OON, said over 300 table tennis players across the country will feature at this year’s competition.
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He said based on the recommendation of the Table Tennis Federation, NTTF, the scope of the championship has been expanded to include players from the military and para-military organisations.
Ajuwon also revealed that the championship which started in 2004 has made “modest but heartwarming achievements” which include discovering and nurturing to stardom of players like Ajoke Ojomo, Shukurat Aiyelabegan, Iyanuoluwa Falana, Abayomi Animashaun, Tosin Oribamishe, Safiat Jimoh, Mazi Taiwo and reigning National Sports Festival champion, Amadi Umeh.
He reiterated that Usman Okanlawon who is the defending champion 2018 cadet boys had won the ITTF Oman Opens in October 2019 just as he described the sensational Mustapha brothers, Mustapha and Musa as rising stars.
Ajuwon, therefore, said emphasis will continue to be on cadet players who are the future of the sport.
While calling on the ministry of sports to pay attention to other sports apart from football, he disclosed that in addition to feeding and accommodation of players, winners would take home prize money of N200,000 while runners up would go with N150,000.
Also speaking, the Care-taker Committee Chairman of the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation, Isiaku Tikon commended members of the club for contributing their quota to the growth of the game.
He also pledged the tennis federation’s support for this year’s championship.
In the same vein, House of Representatives member, Hon. Olufemi Adebanjo representing Alimosho Federal Constituency, Lagos, threw his weight behind the championship as he said it is a veritable ground for discovering hidden talents.
