No car for grabs at Asoju Oba Championship

Yemi Olus

November 25, 2009 12:48AM

Athletes who have nursed the ambition of adding a brand new car to the trophies they've won, may have to kiss that dream goodbye as organisers of the Asoju Oba Table Tennis Championship have disclosed that, unlike last year, there will be no car for grabs at the 41st edition of the competition; only the usual cash prizes and trophies.

Past winners

It can be recalled that winners in both the men and ladies single events last year, Seun Ajetunmobi and Ganiat Ogundele, were recipients of brand new Renault cars - in commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the tournament - while past contender, Atanda Musa defeated Yomi Bankole to win a brand new Peugeot 504 in 1983.

The event, which the longest running Table Tennis Competition in Nigeria, is holding from November 30 to December 4, and will be taking place at Mobolaji Sports Centre, Rowe Park, Yaba Lagos.

Economic crunch

Speaking at the Media Centre of the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos, sponsor of the competition, Molade Okoya Thomas said the competition will not be able to tow the path of last year as a result of the global economic recession.

"One of my friends had offered to buy a Peugeot car for winners of this year's edition but I said we must not show off too much, due to the economic meltdown, so I suggested to him to wait till things get better but I will always use the little I have for humanity".

Tending to the home turf

While responding to calls for the inclusion of participants form other states, Mr. Thomas said, "I believe in developing my state first before other states, though I'm a nationalist and I have friends in other states. What is the population of Ajegunle alone? But then even the children who enter the competition aren't always from Lagos State; however, I cannot make any commitment towards that yet.

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Reader Comments (1)

Posted by Babs Dodo on Nov 26 2009

Thanks Chief Molade Okoya Thomas with this your annual table tennis sponsorship. I remembered I used to go to watch the championship as a young boy in the early eighties at Rowe Park Sports Centre, Alagomeji. Please keep it up. I agree with you, there is no need of including participants from other states. Let them relocate to Lagos for the sake of table tennis please. Ethel Jacks and Atanda Musa were not Lagosians anyway.