Table-Tennis body puts acts together

Followers of the table-tennis game in Nigeria, who had harboured the dream of a blossom year, should go back to their beds for some other kinds of dreams; no thanks to the emptiness of the sport's programmes vault. This much was disclosed to nigeriasports.com by the new Secretary-General of the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation, Mr. Segun Oguntade in a chat with us in our office in Lagos, Nigeria.

Explaining further, Oguntade told us that lack of activities in the federation was not far-fetched from the fact that, he met "nothing on ground on assuming office as the new scribe a few months ago." People should not expect anything spectacular in table tennis this year, because when I assumed office, I met nothing like local programmes, which are geared toward developing the game, on ground.

"Be that as it may, I will see what I can do to change this situation. I am not a sit-down-and-watch person and soon, you will see the difference in that federation. Right now, I have started moving around to ensure that, the game's fortunes change...at least from next year. We are working hard to put things together and it won't be long before things would start materializing."

Even in the face of the hardship, Oguntade still maintained that, plans are on already, to continue living with the game's prosperity at international tournaments. And it is against this background that, all efforts are being put in place to get our acts together preparatory to the Olympic Games. "All we are focussing on right now, is organizing Trials.

"We have therefore set aside August 9, 10, and 11 for a National Pre-Olympic Trials for our players. Besides this, we do not have anything substantial that is worthy being tagged' tournamen't this year. But next year would definitely be a different ball game entirely. It would be a crowded period for table tennis in Nigeria...we can assure you,"Oguntade, who retired as a football referee last year, while doubling as the Scribe of the Nigeria Tennis Federation emphasized.