President of the Fifika Chiri Foundation, Alabo Boma Iyaye, says bringing Nigeria’s National To 16 Table Tennis .Championship to Ogu, Rivers State, is part of efforts to strengthen grassroots sports development and discover the next generation of Nigerian players.
Iyaye said the decision to host the national competition in Ogu, headquarters of Ogu/Bolo Local Government Area, was driven by his desire to revive interest in table tennis, create opportunities for young talents and position the South-South as a major centre for the sport.
The four-day championship, sponsored by the Fifika Chiri Foundation, is scheduled for December 11 to 14, 2026, and will feature Nigeria’s 16 best male and female players, according to the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF).
Speaking during a visit to Ogu, where facilities for the competition were inspected, Iyaye, who is also the Executive Director, Finance and Administration of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), said his passion for table tennis dated back to his childhood in Port Harcourt.
“Growing up in Port Harcourt, we all played table tennis. You cannot grow up in Port Harcourt and not play table tennis,” he said.
“Growing up in Port Harcourt, we all played table tennis. You cannot grow up in Port Harcourt and not play table tennis,” he said.
He explained that his commitment to developing the sport in Ogu began with a local Christmas table tennis competition, which gradually expanded to attract players from different parts of Rivers State.
According to him, the growing popularity of the annual competition encouraged him to pursue a national championship for the community.
“At the local level, we started, and then we transcended to the state level. We have state players that come in here every Christmas to play table tennis. But this year, I said, ‘Can’t we make it a national competition?’” he said.
Iyaye described the NTTF’s decision to award Ogu hosting rights as a major achievement for the community and Rivers State, promising that the foundation would provide the necessary facilities and logistical support for a successful championship.
He listed the availability of hotels, good road networks, a memorial hall suitable for indoor sporting activities and reliable electricity supply through the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company and solar power systems as some of the advantages of hosting the competition in Ogu.
He also expressed the hope that the championship would become an annual event, attracting more sporting activities and national attention to the community.
“We will do everything within our means to make sure that this competition is not only held in Ogu once, but will continuously hold in this part of the world,” he said.
Earlier, NTTF President, Dr Adesoji Tayo, commended Iyaye for his commitment to table tennis development and for bringing a national championship to Rivers State.
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Tayo described the initiative as an important step towards expanding the sport beyond its traditional stronghold in the South-West and establishing the South-South as another centre for talent development.
He said table tennis offered opportunities for people of different ages, adding that its benefits extended beyond competitive sports to physical fitness, recreation and healthy living.
“Table tennis is a game for all, and it is a game that can be played even till old age,” he said.
The NTTF president added that the championship would provide young players with opportunities to develop their abilities, pursue professional careers and earn international recognition.
He expressed satisfaction with the facilities inspected in Ogu, describing the proposed venue as suitable for the national competition.
Tayo also assured the organisers that the federation would provide professional equipment and technical support, including competition tables and other materials required for the event.
He disclosed that the NTTF would facilitate the participation of the country’s top 16 male and female players and ensure they received the necessary professional kits.
Meanwhile, the South-South representative on the NTTF board, Ama-ebi Ebikpolade, described the decision to bring the championship to Rivers State as a significant breakthrough for the region.
He noted that despite Rivers State’s reputation as a major sporting destination, the South-South had not hosted a national NTTF competition of such magnitude in recent years.
“For the first time, I think for the first time, a tournament of that level is coming to Rivers State,” Ebikpolade said.
He praised Iyaye for providing the support and resources required to attract the championship to Ogu, describing the development as the beginning of a possible annual sporting tradition.
“Today, we have started. We have taken the first step towards the annual hosting of the Nigerian National Top 16 in Ogu, courtesy of Alabo Boma Iyaye, and we cannot thank him enough,” he said.
The championship is expected to bring some of the country’s leading table tennis players to Rivers State while providing a platform to promote the sport and identify emerging talents in the South-South.
