Lafia 2024: 2nd North Central Table Tennis receives massive boost

Posted : 24 October 2024

Lagos-based business mogul and sports enthusiast, Shuaibu Mohammed, has announced plans to sponsor the second edition of the North-Central Zonal Table Tennis Tournament for Senior, Junior, and Cadet Unisex Categories, aimed at discovering and nurturing young table tennis talents in the zone.

The tournament, tagged "2nd Edition of Shuaibu D. Mohammed Table Tennis Tournament for North-Central States," is designed to uncover hidden gems and harness talents within the zone, as well as boost Nigeria's podium appearances at international table tennis competitions.

Shortly after a familiarization visit to the Commissioner of the Ministry, Jafaru Ango, in his office in Lafia, Shuaibu emphasized the need to invest in grassroots table tennis development.

"Table tennis is the sport of my youth; I love it so much, but it's unfortunate that I am seeing it decline.

"My aim is to give back to society by reviving it.

"Nigeria has immense talent, but we lack the platform to harness it.

"This tournament will provide a launchpad for young players to showcase their skills and potentially represent our great nation on the global stage.

"There are three categories involved in the tournament, namely: Senior Category for Men and Women; Junior Category for Male and Female players aged U-14 to U-18; and Cadet Category for Boys and Girls aged 10 to 13.

"This competition is open to players from the six North-Central States of the country only: Nasarawa, Benue, Plateau, Niger, Kogi, and Kwara.

"There will be prize money for the 1st to 3rd place positions in each category, with the highest prize being Two Hundred Thousand Naira (N200,000.00) and the lowest prize for the bronze medalist being Fifty Thousand Naira (N50,000.00), respectively.

"We are also using this platform to promote sports development and youth empowerment, fostering unity and friendship among participants," Shuaibu disclosed.

Explaining the choice of Lafia to host the tournament, the sponsor and owner of the popular Le Lieu De Leila's Lounge, a relaxation and luxury care facility located in Isolo, Lagos, said, "Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital, provides the best facilities and ambiance to stage this tournament, particularly sporting and hospitality facilities. The state is also safe and highly welcoming.

"Participants will begin to arrive in Lafia from December 11, 2024, as the competition will commence properly on the 12th and will run through the 14th of December, 2024, at the Lafia Sports Arena, formerly known as the Lafia City Hall.

"Each participating state is expected to feature a maximum of six players in all categories, with one coach each and an accompanying Director of Sports. Thus, we are expecting a total of 48 participants from the six states in Lafia.

"We are providing transportation fees, hotel accommodations, and feeding allowances throughout the duration of the tournament for all participating states' contingents."

According to Shuaibu, the first edition of the tournament was held in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital, from November 15 to 18, 2023.

The serenity and ambiance of Nasarawa State, as emphasized by the sponsor of the championship, further underscore Governor Abdullahi Sule's significant investments in sports, stakeholders, and sporting facilities, as well as his continuous efforts to make the state safe from crime and criminality.

Lafia 2024: 2nd North Central Table Tennis receives massive boost

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