Sports Groove

  Taiwo Mati makes a return to Nigeria’s national team as the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) announces a 10-man squad for the 2025 ITTF African Championships, scheduled to take place in Tunis, Tunisia, from October 12 to 19. Mati returns following his last outing at the 2023 ITTF World Championships in Durban, South Africa, The continental event serves as a qualifier for the 2026 ITTF World Team Championships in London, United Kingdom—a landmark edition marking the centenary of the World Championships, which will return to the city where it all began in 1926. Mati, who plays professionally in Europe, earned his spot after a strong performance at the 2025 West Regional Championships, where he finished among the top four, edging out Muiz Adegoke. He joins a formidable lineup that includes Africa’s top-ranked player, Quadri Aruna; 2019 African Games gold medalist, Olajide Omotayo; two-time West African champion, Matthew Kuti; and rising talent Abdulbasit Abdulfatai...

  Nigerian table tennis icon, Aruna Quadri, has shared an emotional reflection on his 15-year journey in the sport, acknowledging the vital role of private sponsors and individuals in his rise, while lamenting the lack of government support. In a post on his official Facebook handle, Aruna recalled how his career took off in 2010 when he moved to Portugal to play in the Portuguese Super League.  “Fifteen years ago, I arrived in Portugal to play as a professional table tennis player in the Portuguese Super League, competing almost every weekend for my club,” he wrote. Aruna revealed that most of his international outings were made possible through the support of individuals, particularly Barrister Wahid Enitan Oshodi, now the president of the Africa Table Tennis Federation.  “Internationally, I played at least one tournament every month with the backing of Barrister Oshodi. His financial support helped me to improve rapidly,” he noted. The African number one, h...

★ THE PETITION: "We, the contestants and representatives of the Technical and Players of the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF), bring to your attention grave concerns regarding the upcoming election, which we believe will be manipulated through unconstitutional means. The leadership's attempt to alter the electoral process to allow unrestricted voting, without approval letter from the State Sports Directors undermines the integrity of the election. Historically, our elections have been transparent and peaceful, with two representatives from each state, including the FCT, participating with approval letters from the state directors of sports. This practice, aligned with global standards, ensures credible representation* However, the current leadership's plan to hold the election in Lagos on September 10th, without adherence to established protocols, raises serious concerns about the credibility of the election, which will lead to manipulation. We urge Chai...