Nigeria’s retired female table tennis star, Offiong Edem, has expressed concern over the future of the game in the country.
Edem made the expression in an interview with newsmen on Tuesday in Calabar while speaking on the 5th edition of the Offiong Edem Table Tennis Competition holding between April 17 and 19.
She said that the essence of the competition was to encourage the younger generation to take interest in the game, and grow to become future champions.
Edem said that 10 states from the South-South and south-East would participate in the 2025 edition of the competition with a price money of N2.5 million.
“At the 2024 competition, we shared equipment worth millions of naira to encourage the children, but as we speak, I am sure that those equipment have gone bad.
“We know how difficult it is to replace them, the equipment are expensive. The rubber on a table tennis bat is between N100,000 and N250,000 for a pair.
“I am very worried that if the trend continues, the children of the poor will not be able to play the game again,” she said.
The multiple medalist said that through the Offiong Edem Foundation, table tennis equipment had been procured for distribution to younger generation of players.
“We shall distribute equipment worth between N6 million and N10 million during the tourney,” she said.
She however expressed joy that her efforts towards encouraging new players were yielding results, saying, ”We are discovering new talents every day” she said.
Edem, a retired Nigerian table tennis player, has had a consistent presence in Africa and international table tennis competitions for over a decade.
She represented the country at multiple African, Commonwealth and Olympic Games, and competed for the country at the 2004, 2012 and 2016 Summer Olympics.(NAN)
