A former national table tennis champion, Waheed Ekun, says his new foundation will help in discovering, nurturing and empowering talents in table tennis.
Ekun gave this assurance in Ibadan during a news conference to herald the 50th anniversary of winning the national table tennis championship.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Ekun won the table tennis title at the first edition of the National Sports Festival (NSF) in 1973 in Lagos.
He defeated Sunday Eboh in the final match to win the event’s gold medal for the then Western State.
Ekun went on to become a former Special Adviser on Youth and Sports to the late Abiola Ajimobi, a former governor of Oyo State.
NAN reports that a committee of his friends have put together a two-day activity to celebrate the 50th anniversary of his winning the championship.
Ekun is however going beyond that celebration scheduled for Sunday in Ibadan, as he is going to unveil his sports foundation.
“The dearth of table tennis tournaments in the country is as a result of lack of sponsorship and support from governments as well as corporate organisations.
“They (governments and corporate organisations) need to promote other sports, including table tennis, the way they do for football,” the former National Secretary-General of Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII) said.
He said governments should further ease the opportunities of tax rebates for willing blue-chip companies to facilitate huge sponsorships for the ping-pong sport in the country.
Ekun explained he won the national championship as a student of Muslim Grammar School at Odinjo in Ibadan without any financial reward from government or organisation.
“In view of what I have seen of several efforts in the past which were not enough, I have come to the conclusion that private efforts will help better.
”And this is why this new foundation will discover, nurture and empower talents,” the former national champion said.
Prof. Remi Raji, the Coordinator of the event, said the two-day anniversary celebration would hold on Friday and Sunday at the Ibadan House in Oke-Aremo and Jogor Events Centre respectively.
He said a table tennis competition and lecture to be delivered by an ex-football international, Dr Felix Owolabi, would hold at the Ibadan House on Friday.
“The unveiling of Waheed Ekun Table Tennis Foundation, a book launch and exhibition match will hold on Sunday at the Jogor Events Centre,” Raji added.
Niyi Alebiosu, the Oyo State Chapter Chairman of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and Coordinator of the table tennis competition, said players from 10 schools would participate in the competition.
Alebiosu said the competition would feature singles and doubles events in both the male and female categories.
“Winners of the final matches of the competition will go home with trophies and cash prizes, while all quarter-finalists in the competition will be provided with kits,” he added.
Ademola Babalola, the Oyo State Council Chairman of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and Chairman, Media Sub-Committee of the event, solicited the media’s support in giving the event a wide coverage.
Other members of the event’s planning committee are Lekan Alabi, the Maye-Olubadan of Ibadanland, Niyi Ajewole, the CCII President-General, Ayo Afolabi, Gafar Ojetola, Ademola Alabi and Olumuyiwa Oyasogo.
