Olawale Ajimotokan  in Abuja

The President of the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF), Ishaku Tikon, has said the maiden edition of North Central Zone U17 Boys and Girls Table Tennis Championship, which began yesterday in Abuja would bridge the table tennis gap between the north, south west and southern states.

He asserted this yesterday while briefing the media on the championship sponsored by Hamidu Ali Ibrahim.

He said the North Central Zonal Championship would not only bridge the wide gap between the between the zones, but would bring out the hidden table tennis talents in the North Central zone.

“That’s fantastic in that we agree that the western and the southern states have gone far in table tennis. The gap between these states is so wide. So, for someone to come out and organise this nature of championship, packed as North Central Zonal Championship, bring the hidden talent together to develop table tennis, at least to try to see how they can close up the gap with what is happening in the western and southern states. 

To me, as the President, it’s a thing of joy that this kind of thing is happening,” Tikon said.

He urged all zones to key into grassroots development by organising tournaments of this nature, not waiting for government to bring money and be able to organise this kind of championships.

Tikon also applauded the open format of the championship where some established players will compete against junior players, saying it was the instrument required to help develop the younger players.

“Initially, it was supposed to be Under-17. But on a second thought, the sponsor decided that it should be open and the challenge be thrown to the younger ones that are coming up. So that’s exactly what we want in the game.

He added that the federation would integrate the talent discovered in the championship into the pattern developed at the federation level.

“And that’s why if you go to JNAS, I’m talking to you, the ongoing championship, we are starting with the western region. And you see the likes of Mati Taiwo, you see the likes of the younger ones that were recently discovered. And they’ve been put to the mainstream and they are doing wonderfully well. We are producing a lot of talent to take over from the likes of Aruna Quadri, who are already ageing. Go to Lagos, you have more than 20 of them positioned to take over,” Tikon said.

The sponsor, Ali Ibrahim expressed delight that all the students in the zone were represented. He said the first prize winner will get a trophy and a sum of N200,000 while the second placed will take home N100,000.