Players on Friday in
Lagos praised Chief Molade -Okoya Thomas, sponsor of the annual Asoju Oba Table Tennis Cup for continued support to the development of the sport.
The Tidesports source reports that the 46th edition of the competition which served-off on November 24 at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos, ended on November 28.
In interviews with newsmen, table tennis players commended the sponsor for sustaining the competition.
Ayo Omotara, who was the Eight seeded male player of the competition, said that the annual competition had impacted positively on participants over the years.
“I started playing in this competition at a very tender age, and the competition really helped me to grow in the sport.
“Other players have also benefited,” he said.
Fatima Bello, the woman, who seeded Number Four player at the event, told newsmen that the competition had helped to increase the profile of the sport.
Fatima, who won the mixed double event of the competition alongside Ogunlade Azeez, urged the sponsor not to relent in promoting table tennis.
“God will continue to bless the sponsor of this competition that has enhanced the growth of table tennis in Nigeria,” she said.
Kehinde Borokini, a senior player, urged other philanthropists to emulate Thomas by sponsoring more sports competitions to boost the skills of budding talents.
“This is the longest sponsored table tennis competition in Nigeria; if we have other individuals who can also sponsor competitions regularly, Nigeria will be a force to reckon with in ping pong,” she said.
Meanwhile, Kemi Ajayi, was defeated in two straight sets by Lukmon Ologunro of the Hallmark newspaper at the final of the Sport Writers’ Association of Nigeria event.
A total of 22 titles were to be clinched in the competition.