Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu has expressed satisfaction with the participation of the grassroots players at the first World Table Tennis (WTT) Series in Sub-Saharan Africa which took place in Lagos.
He made the statement at the medals presentation of the five-day epoch-making event held inside Molade Okoya-Thomas Indoor Sports Hall of Teslim Balogun Stadium Surulere Lagos, which ended on Sunday.
The world tournament brought the world’s top players together under intense competition for the coveted prizes and 400 International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF), ranking points for the winners.
Sanwo-Olu disclosed that sports have come to stay in Lagos as the World Table Tennis Federation identified the state as one of the cities that is promoting table tennis.
He said, “In the last three days, we have seen table tennis being played at the highest level that you can imagine. We are happy that there are a few grassroots young players in Nigeria who have shown up for this competition. I wish all of them the very best”.
“More importantly, it’s a proud moment that the audience and fans coming out in their numbers in the last three days. I can also see that the organisation has been extremely spectacular and I’m happy with the ambience that I am seeing here”, he added.
As a state that is committed to sports development, the Governor averred that the WTT Contender will also trigger other sports to bring world top players to Lagos and rekindle all of the old glories in sports, not only in football but across all disciplines.
Sanwo-Olu also reiterated that the state is working assiduously on revamping sports facilities across the state, adding that the introduction of sports in school is another form of engagement for the school children to participate in competition at the school level.
The Commissioner of Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso; Director-General, Lagos State Sports Commission, Lekan Fatodu; Vice President of ITTF, Enitan Waheed Oshodi; Director of Event and Chief Operating Officer, ITTF-AFRICA, Dr. Kweku Tandoh were also in attendance at the grand finale of the WTT Contender Lagos.
