Nigeria’s women table tennis star, Germany-based Funke Oshonaike, was sad on Monday morning when she was told by the officials of the African Table Tennis Federation that the Team Nigeria women players have been eliminated for not showing up at the much publicized African Championship which started in Morocco at the weekend.
The Team Nigeria’s elimination was because, out of the four players for the women’s Team event, only Funke was able to make the trip to Morocco from her base in Germany, while the rest of the team members are still in Lagos, waiting for funds to make the trip.
It was gathered that the likes of Aruna Quadri and Segun Toriola, who are already on ground in Morocco, were able to make it to the tournament courtesy of the personal effort of the president of the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation, Enitan Oshodi.
“I’m so very sad and disappointed this morning. After more than 25 years of representing Nigeria, my great country Nigeria has touched where they are not supposed to touch and it hurts so bad.
“I am in Agadir, Morocco to represent Nigeria in the Africa Table Tennis Championship and the female team has just been walked over because I am the only one here and the others are not here. They couldn’t make it because the Ministry of Sports failed to release funds for the team’s participation in the championship.
“No money! We are the champion in Africa and the people in sports couldn’t care less. My dear NTTF president, Enitan Oshodi has been doing a lot for the development of this sport and even had to pay for some of the male players to be here, but he’s not encouraged at all. Got the facts that my other team mates are not here now, this is going to cause the female team from participating in the next team championship in Sweden.
“It’s actually shocking to me to see the other African players that are not up to Nigerian standard here at the championship venue, whereas the so called giant of Africa is not here. I love my dear country so very much and I’m sacrificing all that I have for her, but it is funny that the Sports Ministry officials are reluctant to do their own part. My dear TT president and NTTF are doing everything to lift the sport that I love so much to a greater level but not getting enough support. I’m still playing now because I want to bring along the younger ones but instead they are all getting frustrated. In fact, I’ve got a lot of pain in my heart,” she stated.
