Mr. Ama-ebi Ebikpolade, the philanthropic Bayelsa State Table Tennis Association Chairman and South-South Representative on the Board of Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF), on Wednesday 14 August 2024, announced a training sponsorship for the State para table tennis coach, Ozemida Esau.
The announcement was received with cheers and clapping by numerous table tennis players after Coach Esau’s players, Peter Adueze, John Otuka, and Adebayo Adeyanju from the state para senior Men team all defeated the state U15 Able opponents.
The mini-tournament was a friendly way to prepare the U15 team for the upcoming National Youth Games was hosted at the Samson Siasia Sports Complex in Yenogoa. Some of the major results included Peter Adueze’s(para) 2:0 defeat over Success Isioma (U15).
John Otuka (para, national sports festival champion gold medalist) won 2 sets against Clinton Ogbomaudia (current South South/South East U15 champion).
Similarly, Henry Dibia, U15 male, lost to Adebayo Adeyanju, para senior Men 2-0, and gave the Bayelsa para table tennis players the boasting rights.
Adebayo Adeyanju told our reporter that the para table tennis players won because of experience and the knowledge of training with the young U15 team.
All the games were in Best-of-three format with each of the sets attracting cheers from fans. The atmosphere in the packed hall brought excitement to visitors and friends of Mr. Ama-ebi Ebikpolade who watched the thrilling table tennis teenage players battle with the disabled senior players.
Over N200,000 cash prize was donated to the winners by Mr. Ama-ebi Ebikpolade including those who played a very explosive demonstration game.
Mr. Ebikpolade was physically impressed with the para table tennis Coach Ozemida Esau and pronounced the sponsorship package, including a helper for Coach Esau when traveling for the coaching course.
“We want to see that you get the necessary coaching qualifications and skills to develop more talent for Bayelsa State and Nigeria at large. I am impressed with the performance of the U15 players and I want to support all programs that will improve their capabilities to bring back medals from the National Youth Games.”
Coach Esau appreciated Mr. Ebikpolade for his support to the Bayelsa Table Tennis Association and players and prayed to God for his continued blessings. Çoach Esau also appreciated the promise of bats and new table tennis board for para and deaf players in the State.
Currently, Mr. Ama-ebi Ebikpolade has two other coaches, Adebayo and Adeadi under his sponsorship.
He is also responsible for 5 table tennis players scholarships in various universities.
Nevertheless, Mr. Ebikpolade’s grand support project for the Bayelsa State Table Tennis Association is a befitting State-of- the-art Table Tennis Hall in Yenogoa, slated for commissioning in less than 2 months.
