Table Tennis
GLAMOUR, SPLENDOUR IN THE AIR AS ASOJU OBA CUP MARKS GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
There is probably no Nigerian table tennis prodigy who did not first grace the Asoju Oba Molade Okoya-Thomas Table Tennis Competition.
It has been the biggest producer of table tennis stars in Nigeria. Little wonder, the bar is being raised as what is easily Africa’s longest running table tennis competition hits a milestone of 50.
The initiator, Chief Molade Okoya-Thomas, passed on three years ago, but his children have proven to be worthy successors as they continue to sustain their fathers’ vision.
The plans for the golden jubilee edition was in Tuesday unfolded by Ayodeji Okoya-Thomas who announced that this year’s competition will serve off on Monday and run through to Friday November 30 at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall of Teslim Balogun Stadium.
The venue is named as a memorial to the initiator of the longest solely sponsored sports competition in the continent.
Ayodeji Okoya-Thomas said: “For the tournament which will start next week, two new giant trophies have been unveiled for both the male and female categories. The trophy for the ladies has been renamed, Lady Olivet’s Trophy.
The array of trophies to be won at the 50th Asoju Oba Molade Okoya-Thomas Table Tennis Competition.
There are also two miniature trophies which will be kept by the champions in both the female and male singles category.”
The grand prize for the winner was not announced as it was meant to be pleasant surprise to the winner.
But the family of the late sports philanthropist insists it would be worth the occasion. There had been such surprises at milestone editions of 10-year intervals.
One of the major winners in the past, Atanda Musa reportedly once spoke of the pleasant December surprise he got in the 1980s when he got a car as the grand prize.
“As the tournament usually takes place in December, it afforded us the opportunity to win several gift items while my first car in life was through the tournament which I won after defeating Yomi Bankole in one of the finals,” Atanda Musa said.
There are strong indications that it may be so again this year as players across Lagos jostle for 24 titles at stake.
As in the past, giant and glittering trophies were unveiled at the press conference, which significantly had in attendance, the legendry Babatunde Obisanya, the first winner 50 years ago when the competition served off in 1968. He still looked trim and fit.
The 24 titles that will be at stake will be in three categories of cadet, intermediate and senior.
The senior category will feature women and men’s singles, doubles and mixed doubles.
Ayodeji Okoya-Thomas added that for the first time, all winners would have medals.
The para-table tennis will also be featuring for the fifth time this year. So also there will be the categories for sports administrators who will compete in singles event.
Other categories will be for coaches, the media and so on.
Nigeria’s Quadri Aruna and Egypt’s Hana Goda are among the elite players set to compete at the WTT Star Contender Ljubljana 2025, taking place in Slovenia.
The WTT Star Contender Ljubljana 2025 boasts a prize pool of $300,000 and offers valuable ITTF Table Tennis World Ranking points.
The singles champions will receive $17,000 and 600 points, while the doubles champions will take home $5,500 and 600 points.
This highly anticipated event, hosted at Hala Tivoli in Ljubljana, has attracted a star-studded lineup of table tennis greats.
Aruna, currently ranked 24th in the world and the highest-ranked African player, is seeded No. 14 in the men’s singles and has received a bye into the second round (last 32). He is expected to face the winner between Japan’s Shunsuke Togami and China’s Xu Haidong on Friday, June 20.
Similarly, Goda, seeded No. 15 in the women’s singles, also received a bye into the second round. She is set to face the winner between Japan’s Sakura Yokoi and South Korea’s Joo Cheonhui.
Some of the world’s best players will battle it out over five events in what promises to be a week-long table tennis spectacle.
Leading the charge in the men’s singles is Brazilian star and 2025 World Championships runner-up, Hugo Calderano.
Known as the “Thrill from Brazil,” Calderano returns to Slovenia with bold ambition, looking to defend his title from last year’s triumph.
Joining him are global heavyweights including Japan’s Tomokazu Harimoto, winner of the Men’s Singles title at WTT Star Contender Doha 2025; Felix Lebrun, champion at WTT Champions Montpellier 2024; and Slovenian home favourite Darko Jorgic.
In the women’s singles, Japan’s Miwa Harimoto headlines the field after claiming the title at WTT Star Contender Chennai 2025. Her compatriot Hina Hayata is also back to defend her title from last year’s Ljubljana tournament.
Other strong contenders include South Korea’s Shin Yubin, seeking her first WTT Star Contender title, as well as Romania’s Bernadette Szocs and China’s Qian Tianyi, both of whom are expected to make deep runs in the competition
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Participants in the table tennis event of the 22nd National Sports Festival, tagged Gateway Games 2024, will be vying for a total of 46 gold medals up for grabs.
The table tennis competition features athletes across three categories: able-bodied, para-athletes, and deaf athletes. Seven gold medals are available in the able-bodied category, while deaf athletes will contest for five gold medals. Para-athletes will compete for a whopping 34 gold medals across various events, including singles, doubles, mixed doubles, and team events.
In the able-bodied category, athletes will compete in singles (for men and women), doubles (for men and women), mixed doubles, and team events (for men and women). Deaf athletes will contest in singles (men and women), doubles (men and women), and mixed doubles.
Para-athletes will participate in four team events—men’s classes 1–5 and 6–10, and women’s classes 1–5 and 6–10. There will also be 18 singles events for men and women, eight doubles events, and four mixed doubles events.
Delta State dominates the seeding lists for both able-bodied and para-athlete categories. Fatimo Bello of Delta State is the top seed in the women’s singles, while Bayelsa’s Olajide Omotayo leads the men’s singles. Lagos and Oyo States top the seedings in the deaf singles events.
According to the tournament referee, Ranti Lajide, this year’s tournament promises to be thrilling, especially with the inclusion of Invited Junior Athletes (IJA) by the National Sports Commission (NSC).
“Lajide said: “We are going to witness top-class table tennis, especially from players who recently featured in the ITTF World Championships in Doha, Qatar.
“The knockout format of this year’s tournament will make it even more exciting and competitive. I hope we can conclude all matches before the closing ceremony on May 29,” Ranti said.
“The turnout of teams has been impressive, even from states that haven’t traditionally featured in the table tennis events of the NSF. Beyond the medals, I believe the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) will be able to discover new talents for future development,” he added.
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The race for medals in the table tennis event of the 22nd National Sports Festival, tagged Gateway Games 2024, kicks off on Saturday, May 24, at the Alake Sports Centre in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.
As one of the marquee events of Nigeria’s version of the Olympic Games, table tennis has drawn a large turnout of teams from across the country. Notably, foreign-based stars such as Olajide Omotayo, Azeez Solanke, and Taiwo Matti will be representing Bayelsa State, adding international flair to the competition.
Lagos State will be led by national champion Matthew Kuti and Muiz Adegoke, while strong contenders from Kwara, Ondo, Oyo, and Delta are also expected to make their mark.
According to an official from the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF), the event was slightly delayed to allow the conclusion of the badminton competition, which shares the same venue.
“We’re expecting a more competitive tournament this year, with increased participation from teams that haven’t featured in recent editions. Some players are fresh from the ITTF World Championships in Doha, so fans should expect fireworks in the team, doubles, and singles events,” the official said.
Omotayo, currently Nigeria’s second-highest-ranked player globally, will face stiff competition from top home-based talents like Kuti, Adegoke, and Abdulbasit Abdulfatai. Kuti, one of the most consistent players on the national circuit, has dominated recent tournaments and is eyeing his first National Sports Festival title. Abdulfatai, fresh off a national tournament win in Osun, is also a strong contender in both singles and doubles.
Oyo State, under the guidance of Coach Dotun Omoniyi, will not be overlooked. The team features seasoned players like Akinwale Fagbamila and Joshua Olaniran, who bring experience and resilience to the Sunshine State’s campaign.
In the para table tennis event, all eyes will be on homeboy and Paris Paralympics bronze medalist, Isau Ogunkunle, who will be aiming to affirm his dominance in the Men’s Class 4 of the singles event, while Faith Obazuaye, a Commonwealth Games medalist will lead the Edo State contingent in the Women’s category.
From May 24 to 28, all eyes will be on the Alake Sports Centre as the table tennis event promises to unearth new stars and deliver thrilling action at this year’s multi-sport festival.
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