Mabel Segun, a trailblazer in African female table tennis, passed away on Thursday, March 6, at the age of 95. Her family announced her demise in a statement issued on the same day.

“It is with gratitude to God for a life well spent in the pursuit of excellence in literature, broadcasting, and sports that we announce the passing of our beloved mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, Mabel Dorothy Okanima Segun (née Aig-Imoukhuede),” the statement read.

Segun passed away in the early hours of March 6, 2025, and her funeral arrangements will be announced later. She is survived by her son, Gbenga Segun; her daughter, Omowunmi Segun; and many grandchildren.

Segun, formerly known as Miss Mabel Imokhuede, was among the first Nigerian female table tennis players to gain international recognition in the early 1950s. According to Nigerian table tennis historian Femi Olugbile, despite the initial exclusion of women from regional and national competitions in Africa, Segun’s first major exposure came in 1954 during the National Singles Championships, when the first female singles competition was introduced in Nigeria.

Olugbile described Segun as a pioneer of female table tennis in Nigeria. 

In his book “Ten Ahead,” he wrote: “The first female player of note to emerge in Nigeria was named Mabel Imokhuede (later to become Mrs. Segun).

She was a contemporary of the first set of players who came to national recognition in the early 1950s.

The first competitions held at both regional and national levels did not feature any women.

Segun’s first major exposure to the limelight was in 1954, when a female singles competition was formally introduced in the National Singles Championships.

There were not many players, as it was not common in those days for young ladies to participate in such activities, even for recreation.”

He added: “In the final match of the competition, Segun met Mrs. Hunt, the wife of one of the notable male players on the scene, who was an expatriate.

“She lost the match, but in doing so, she went into the records as the first indigenous Nigerian woman to attain that level of visibility in the game. Her example over time drew other ladies into the game.”

Segun’s illustrious career was marked by her role as a university graduate and a respected literary icon, serving as a role model for many Nigerian sportswomen.

Her athletic prowess earned her the University’s Table Tennis Half Colour, and she won numerous awards, including a gold medal in the doubles category in 1954. She continued to play table tennis competitively until the age of 58 in 1988.

Born on February 18, 1930, Segun was a true pioneer, breaking barriers throughout her distinguished career. She left behind a legacy of remarkable achievements and contributions to Nigerian society.

She was married to former ATTF President and ex-ITTF Deputy President, George Segun.

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Hana Goda and Omar Assar emerged the new champions of Africa at the 2025 ITTF Africa Cup, held in Tunis, Tunisia on Thursday.

While the younger Goda dethroned fellow Egyptian Dina Meshref 4-2 to clinch the Women’s Singles title, their compatriot, Assar, narrowly edged Nigeria’s Quadri Aruna in a 4-3 battle of the superstars of African table tennis in the Men’s Singles final matchup.

For three days, 50 players from Algeria, Benin Republic, Cameroon, Congo DR, Congo Brazzaville, Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Ghana, Egypt, Madagascar, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa, Tunisia, and Zambia competed in the tournament, which also served as qualifiers for the 2025 ITTF World Cup.

In the Women’s Singles, Goda started her day with a comeback win over Meshref. After falling behind 2-0, Goda rallied to win 4-2, reclaiming her title. Meshref initially dominated with scores of 11-9 and 11-5, but Goda regained her composure, winning the next four games 11-9, 11-6, 11-6, and 12-10.

A relieved Goda credited her mental coach for the comeback, stating, “I think the credit must go to my mental coach who advised me that even when I am down, I should never give up. This motivated me to come back in the game. I must also commend my opponent for putting up a good performance, and I am happy with the victory.”

In the Men’s Singles final, Assar had to dig deep to overcome defending champion Aruna in a close 4-3 match (11-3, 14-16, 11-4, 6-11, 11-9, 6-11, 11-6).

 After the match, Assar described his win as the most challenging of his career, saying, “This is the toughest tournament, and I am so exhausted from all the matches I played in Tunis. I thank my teammates and our host, Tunisia, for being a good host.”

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A confrontation of epic proportion is expected when table tennis archrivals, Quadri Aruna of Nigeria and Egypt’s Omar Assar clash in the final duel of the ITTF-Africa.

Their semi-finals matches lived up to expectations. Though the battles were tough, the favourites found a way to push through the stiff competition.

Omar Assar edged past surprise semi-finalist Salifou Abdel Kader with a thrilling 4-3 victory, while Quadri Aruna cruised past Cameroonian Ylane Batix to set up a much-anticipated face-off with his archrival Assar.

Once again, the women’s singles final will be an all-Egyptian affair, highlighting the North African giants’ dominance. Dina Meshref is set to defend her title against Hana Goda.

Goda secured her spot with a commanding 4-1 win over Nigeria’s Fatimo Bello, while Meshref had to dig deep to overcome Mariam Alhodaby 4-2.

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ITTF-AFRICA MEDIA

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