No fewer than 450 table tennis players and enthusiasts across Nigeria are being expected in Otan-Ayegbaju town in Osun State for the 5th edition of the 2025 Michael and Felicia Alabi Memorial National Table Tennis Festival.
The tournament, sponsored by Michael and Felicia Alabi and organised by the Osun State Table Tennis Association under the auspices of the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation will be held at Idera multi-purpose hall in Otan Ayegbaju between April 27 and May 3, 2025.
Addresing members of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Osun State chapter, at the Osogbo Township Stadium to herald the annual championship for 2025, the chairman of the Osun State Table Tennis Association, Mr. Ayodeji Alabi, explained that the cash prizes for winners of the tournament for this year have been jacked up, saying the sum of N11.5million has been set aside for cash prizes alone.
Alabi said that the tournament would not only promote table tennis game, but would also foster a sense of community, showcasing Nigerian culture and talent and discovering more talents in the table tennis.
He said about 450 persons including players, enthusiasts and others would be participating in this year’s competition, saying 35 states of the federation have registered to participate.
The table tennis guru lamented that the table tennis game had been in obscurity, stating that the festival would bring the sport back to limelight.
Speaking on the essence of the table tennis festival and efforts at uplifting the game in the country, Alabi said, “We want to bring sports, especially table tennis back to the limelight and that is what we have been trying to do. That is the reason we are able to build this kind of edifice (Michael and Felicia Alabi Memorial Table Tennis Hall, Osogbo) which is the first in Nigeria. They have been playing table tennis all over Nigeria but this is the first standing alone hall in the whole of Nigeria and I thank God we are able to put this together.
“We are having the Michael and Felicia National Table Tennis Championship coming up from April 27, to the 3rd of May. This is a different one because this is the 5th edition. Last year, we were able to house all the states that came into our own hotel. But, this time around, it will be more than the hotel. We are creating our own hall that will see to about 3,000 people. Apart from the hall, we are going to create a kind of new dimension in the entertainment.
“Whoever comes to this tournament will take a whole lot of happiness home because we already have an entertainment lounge that will feature so many artistes. Right after the game, there will be a whole lot of entertainment, there will be comedy show, there will be music shows, there will be a lot of well known disc jockeys. We are creating a lot of entertainment portfolios for whosoever is coming to this tournament.
“As of today, about 35 states have already signed up for this tournament and going through the list of players, every Nigerian player on table tennis is being represented.”
Alabi disclosed that persons with disabilities will be participating actively in the tournament adding that categories such as men’s singles, women’s singles, under 15 boys singles, under 15 girls singles, men’s doubles, women’s doubles, mixed doubles, veteran singles, para men singles open, para women singles open, deaf men singles, deaf women singles and local singles.
He added, “This year, we might be having about 400 or 450 participants and we are going to house and feed them free of charge. This year’s tournament is different because we have been able to create an environment where participants will sleep and feed well.”
