South-South Table Tennis Championship: 11 Elite Clubs Storm Yenagoa as Organisers Push for Regional Revival
Yenagoa is set to host an unprecedented gathering of top table tennis clubs as the South-South Veterans Championship and the 1st Governor Douye Diri Top-16 National Tournament take centre stage between November 30 and December 1, while veterans compete on Friday and Saturday.
Speaking ahead of the championship, a representative on the South-South Table Tennis Board, Ama-ebi Stow, disclosed that 11 major clubs from across the region and beyond have already confirmed participation. Among them are Elite Club, Shell Club, Spin and Drive Club, Calabar Club and several others drawn from across the South-South and social-club circuits.
He explained that although the veterans’ event was not originally included in the government’s approval for the championship, he personally pushed for its inclusion to expose more adults to high-level table tennis.
> “Many of our people have never watched top-notch table tennis because they cannot afford the cost of travelling to Lagos to attend major tournaments. Bringing this event home allows them to experience world-class games at a minimal cost,” he stated.
Stow emphasized that the initiative also aims to encourage the elite clubs to take ownership of the sport rather than leaving everything to government, which he said has contributed to poor development in some states.
According to him, Bayelsa currently stands out in grassroots table tennis development, particularly because it is the only South-South state that has successfully integrated athletes’ education into its sports programme.
> “We now have young athletes from humble backgrounds attending some of the best schools, paying as much as ₦3.7 million per session—fully sponsored. These same boys went to the NUGA Games in Jos and won everything. That is what true sports development looks like,” he added.
He stressed that modern sports management must blend education with athletic development to protect the future of young talents.
> “Gone are the days when a player finishes his career and begins to beg for money. If you separate education from sports, you are not doing your job. Every parent wants their child to go to school, rich or poor,” he said.
The board representative lamented that several states in the region, particularly Rivers State, have allowed their table tennis associations to collapse due to mismanagement and lack of direction.
> “In Rivers State, all associations are suspended. No chairman, no secretary – nothing is functioning. We need to engage leaders and revive the associations. This event gives us the platform to begin those conversations,” he stated.
Recalling his personal contributions, Stow noted that he once purchased competition tables for states in the region because they had none, adding that the new Rivers State Commissioner for Sports has now procured brand new tables for their association.
He also addressed the perception that table tennis does not generate money like football, a factor many believe discourages private investment.
> “Yes, table tennis may not bring in the kind of money football does, but the game has grown beyond being just entertainment. What we are building here is a model that others can replicate – a structure that benefits athletes, attracts sponsors and raises the standard of the game,” he said.
The championships, he added, will not only showcase top-tier table tennis but also serve as a platform to build partnerships and reposition the South-South on the national table tennis map.
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