"The Federal government did not fund the team to the tournament.Cross Rivers State government personally funded the team to Congo Brazaville while the National Security and Civil Defense Corps
sponsor their athletes."
Its Vice President, Honourable Orok Duke, who doubles as the Chairman of Cross River State Table Tennis Association, said the Nigerian ping pongers were able to feature in the competition due to the financial support of Governor Liyel Imoke of Cross River State while the National Security and Civil Defense Corps provided funds for its athletes who feature in the ITTF - African Club Championships.
"We had an African Cup for Singles and Men and Women, then we had the club championships in Congo Brazzaville. We picked the Women Bronze in Singles, through Offiong Edem while Aruna Quadri picked won a Bronze medal in the Men's Singles.
"In the Club Championships, NSCDC that featured Quadri Aruna, Makanjuola Kazeem and Abdelrahman Abdulla , picked a Silver medal just as Canaan Queen of Calabar which paraded Janet Effiom, Offiong Edem, Effionwan Ntiero, Cecila Akpan, Ofonine Akpan, won a Bronze medal.
Duke, who commended the feat recorded by the Nigerian table tennis players for wining Bronze medal in Men's Singles through Aruna Quadri and another Bronze medal in the Women's Singles through Offiong Edem,as National Security and Civil Defense Corps settled for Silver medal while team from Canaan Queens table tennis club from Cross River got a Bronze medal, said the failure of the NSC to render a valuable financial help was terrible and disheartening to the growth of the sport which has brought fame to the country.
While urging other states governors to emulate Governor Liyel Imoke gesture, Duke, said the NTTF at its meeting held on Tuesday at the Knock-up hall of the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos, had resolved to seek for assistance from corporate bodies as well as private philanthropists to support the Federation's quest to add value to the sport through vibrant developmental programmes which has aided the improvement of table tennis in Egypt.
He said table tennis was well developed in Egypt because the nation's government made it mandatory for all the registered football clubs in the country to adopt one alternative sport, thus Al- Ahly and Zamalek adopted Table Tennis while telecommunication firms, Etisalat and MTN provided an enabling environment for the growth of the sport in Egypt.
"The development i saw in Egypt, the Egyptian government forced every football clubs in the country to adopt alternative sports.We lost to AL-Ahly and Zamalek of Egypt table tennis clubs"
"Etisalat is the sole sponsor of Table Tennis in Egypt.The tournament was co- sponsor by MTN.So we have a situation here in Nigeria, where we spend money else where.Bello Osagie, who wholly owns Etisalat cannot sponsor sports in Nigeria but decided to sponsor a tournament in Egypt"
This is possible in Nigerian because we are lenient on this extra- rich people and unless there is a drastic change, the situation will still remain the same".I was shocked when the Egyptian team that won Gold medal were well kitted by Etisalat.
On the development of the sport, Duke, said the Federal Government should enjoined multinational companies to adopt sports to help improve the standard of sports in Nigeria
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