Sports
Lagos-Based American Hospital Establishes Table Tennis Club
Lagos-based American Hospital, Lekki, has formed a table tennis club to ensure that the talents of an orphan and two other young table tennis players were adequately honed in sports and education.
The players are Michael Obayomi, a student of Estate Senior Grammar School, Oshodi, Mustapha Bello, a second year student of Yaba College of Technology and Akabom Eyo, who hopes to gain admission into a higher institution of learning.
Michael Odegbami, the club’s Team Coordinator and Head of Logistics of the hospital which has its headquarters in the U.S., disclosed the club’s formation to newsmen yesterday in Lagos.
Odegbami said that forming of the club was borne out of the hospital’s Managing Director, Dr Richard Afonja’s passion for table tennis, adding that he loved youths to be educated.
“Obayomi’s story actually spurred the formation of the club. He’s a very talented player but an orphan, so he’s having challenges concentrating and balancing his education with sports.
“Afonja and I and every other person involved in forming and managing the club had at one time or the other in our lives played table tennis.
“We are investing in both their sports career and education. We have followed their skills’ development for a while before signing them.
“The plan is to give them a good life. We consulted their guardians and parents and we got their consent.
“We want a good future for them in both sports and education, and we will ensure that it is achieved,’’ he said.
The club’s coordinator added that the three players have been put on monthly salary at the hospital.
“They are being given N25, 000 monthly for their up keep and day to day sustainability,’’ he said.
He added that the hospital was working on the players attending some international competitions for exposure to enhance their skills.
“There is work in progress for them to have education scholarships and study in Bayeux, France. They will also attend the California Open Table Tennis Championsips,’’ he said.
Obayomi, 15, said that he’s thankful to God to have been signed by the American Hospital, adding that life hadn’t been easy for him as an orphan.
“I thank American Hospital for this gesture offered to me and I appreciate and promise to give a good account of myself.
“My mother died in 2011 and my father in 2013, life hasn’t been easy at all. Because of the situation I found myself, I’m attending a public school and staying with my brother’s friend.
“My brother doesn’t reside in Lagos, so I have to stay with his friend because Lagos is a good place for my sports career and education,’’ he said.
Also, Bello said that his parents were joyous about his signing by American Hospital Table Tennis Club.
He said that he was happy joining the club because it had plans to make them successful table tennis players.
“I’m impressed with all that they have for us. They are not just particular about table tennis but also about our education.
“I am grateful to them because they are balancing us in both,’’ Bello said.
For Eyo who has been playing table tennis all his life without anything to show for it, joining the club will help him achieve something in table tennis.
“I have an aim in table tennis and joining American Table Tennis Club will make me to achieve my target.
“Actually, my number one priority is education followed by sports and I promise to make myself and American Hospital Table Tennis Club proud,’’ he said.
The Nigeria Football Federation has defended the recent quarter-finals draw for the 2025 President Federation Cup, saying it was conducted in line with best global practices.
A member of the NFF Executive Committee Board, George Aluo, stated that criticism over venues for the quarterfinals was unfortunate.
Going by the fixtures released on Saturday by the football body, Abakaliki FC will take on Nasarawa United in Benin, Wikki Tourists will clash with Ikorodu City in Bwari, Abuja, Akwa United and Kwara United will fight it out in Enugu, just as Area 3, Abuja, will host the encounter between Rangers International and Plateau United. All matches are scheduled for May 3rd for the emergence of semifinalists in a leg affair.
However, there have been criticisms over the Ikorodu United vs Wikki Tourist tie billed for Abuja, with a section of the press saying the venue is skewed in favour of the Bauchi team.
Aluo, also the Chairman of the Nigeria National League (NNL), said: “Some of our media men need better education, and newsmen should not be like the fans out there on the streets. In the English FA Cup, it is always a one-legged pairing that can see a club like Arsenal host Manchester United at home”.
A new contract that will see Act Sports Di Oyibo Limited managing the career of Nigerian teqball specialist, Victor Oyemade, has been signed in Lagos.
The deal gives exclusive rights to Act Sports to manage, and exercise power of attorney over issues relating to the player’s welfare as it concerns his transactions, engagement for professional, promotional, sponsorships, endorsements, and exhibition purposes.
In signing the document, both parties also agreed that proper safeguards would be put in place to protect and promote the player’s interest at all times.
Director of Act Sports, Di Oyibo Limited, Pastor Samuel Robinson Oyibo, excited about the deal, said it would benefit both parties in the area of spreading the message of the sport, as well as laying a firm foundation for his new client’s future.
“Teqball is one of the world’s fastest-growing ball sports, and Victor Oyemade is the face of the sport here in Nigeria and Africa. That is why we are excited about this partnership that gives Act Sports official authorisation to manage his career, just as it will lay the foundation for its rapid growth in our country,” Pastor Oyibo said.
Oyemade was no less excited about the deal, saying it would help his growth in the sport.
Coaches of Nigeria’s U-18 and U-20 women’s handball teams have released their final lists of 14 players ahead of the IHF Women’s Trophy Zonal Phase, which will be held in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, that commenced yesterday to end 24th of this month.
The two teams have been training at the Rowe Park Sports Centre, Yaba, Lagos, for close to two weeks and departed for the competition on Thursday.
Coach John Uzor of the national U-18 team has included Omole Joy of Defender Babes and her sister Omole Shola alongside Ojie Princess of Funad Academy alongside right back Faisat Balogun in the mix while Success Duru, Chetachi Ngaodurubie of COAS Babes and Sharon Okonkwo make the cut, amongst other players.
In the U-20 team, Coach Shittu Agboola has largely stuck with the players he has been grooming since their U-18 days. The team is led by Captain Chidera Ogbusimba alongside, her Rima Queens teammates the Samuel Sisters, Amina Mohammed and Joy Peters.
Israel-based Rahima Bello, Kehinde Babatunde of ASPAC HBC of Benin Republic and Esther Mathew, who is also based in Benin Republic, keep their places.
Coach Shittu believes his team will make Nigeria proud just as they did previously at the U-18 level.
“I am really upset that Taiwo Babatunde will not be part of the team for this competition as her school, Yaba College of Technology, insisted that they will not release her for national service because of examinations.
“We did everything humanly possible to secure her release and they didn’t care that it is a national service for the interest of Nigeria and the growth of sports. We have other players who are also students and they got a release from their schools but for no tangible reason, Yabatech refused to release Taiwo despite the fact that we did everything possible to secure her release. It’s sad and I hope the Federal Ministry of Education and the National Sports Commission will work in tandem so that schools will support our goal in making Nigeria proud in sporting events”.