ITTF Lagos Open: No Nigerian table tennis player won in any of the major categories

The ITTF World Tour, Lagos Open, ended penultimate weekend and like other editions since it began in 2013, no Nigerian table tennis player won in any of the major categories. Granted that ITTF 2014 player of the year, Aruna Quadri, got to the final of the men’s singles after dispatching compatriot, Ojo Onaolapo, in the semifinal before losing to
Omar Assar 4-2 in the final, that doesn’t detract from the fact of the dominance of the Egyptians. Onaolapo was also beaten in the junior’s category just like old-timer, Funke Oshonaike, who could only pick bronze medal in the women’s event.

Others like Cecilia Otu, Offiong Edem also fell short in the five-day tournament in Lagos. What makes the near-collapse at home all the more remarkable is that not too long ago the nation completely dominated the game on the continent, so much so that Egypt, that has now become the country’s tormentor, couldn’t touch Nigeria with a long pole. Players like Atanda Musa, Yomi Bankole, Sunday Eboh, Titus Omotara, Sule Olaleye, Kazeem Nosiru, Segun Toriola and on the female side: Bose Kaffo, Biola Odumosu, Kuburat Owolabi, Olawunmi Majekodunmi, Iyabo Akanmu, Kehinde Okenla and Funke Oshonaike. held sway effortlessly.

Former national chief coach, Babatunde Obisanya, who superintended over perhaps the most successful period in Nigeria’s dominance in the game on the continent, identifies where the rot started. He argues that the game went downhill when politicians who knew nothing about it took control at the level of the federation.
Omar Assar who won the last Lagos Open corroborates this point. He notes that the edge Egypt has over Nigeria now is in the area of planning. The Egyptian star who defeated Nigeria’s Quadri in the final of the Lagos Open says: “Our dominance is a result of long term and adequate planning. We seem to have the upper hand because of the way we take our preparations seriously. “Nigeria has good players and other countries like Congo, Tunisia and Togo are also doing well. Nigerian players are giving us a lot of challenge and these African countries are coming up too. I think this is good for Africa.”

Just like other sports in the country that have fallen on bad times, table tennis at some point effortlessly produced stars. The conveyor belt turned out players regularly to compete with and eventually replace the old guard. At the root of this constant supply was something akin to a grassroots explosion. Table tennis was played at virtually every corner in Lagos. Surulere on the Lagos Mainland for instance was a ferment of sorts where the game was played on makeshift boards, tiny benches and small tables.