Delegates at the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF), at the weekend in Abuja, elected Adesoji Tayo unopposed as the new president of the federation.
Tayo, who currently serves as chairman of the Oyo State Table Tennis Association, was unanimously elected after his closest rival, Ahmed Khamisu, stepped down ahead of the presidential vote.
The Oyo State-born administrator succeeds Ishaku Tikon, who led the federation for eight years. Widely regarded as one of the most peaceful elections in the federation’s history, the NTTF poll was conducted under the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF)-backed constitution, and witnessed strong participation from delegates across the country.
Zonal elections were held before the presidential vote. Tayo, a long-standing stakeholder in Nigerian table tennis, previously served as vice president of the NTTF.
His contributions to the sport are well documented, having on several occasions provided financial support to ensure national teams did not miss out on major international competitions.
Beyond his financial backing, Tayo is highly respected for his deep knowledge of the sport and his unwavering passion for its growth. He will serve a four-year term and has pledged to prioritise youth development, with a focus on talent discovery and enhancing coaching standards nationwide.
In his post election address, Tayo said: “Our goal is to build a stronger foundation for the future of Nigerian table tennis. We’ll invest in youth programmes and ensure our coaches are equipped to nurture the next generation of champions.”
Also elected into the new NTTF board are Ahmed Khamisu from the Nortn-East Zone, who is the new vice president, representing the North East zone; Wahid Enitan Oshodi – international representative/President, ITTF Africa; Ishaku Tikon; Dominic Sylvester – technical representative; Prof. Joshua Umeifekwem – NAPHERSD; Joy Ibekwe – NAWIS; Monilola Udoh – AFFAN; Tony Emefiele – military and paramilitary; Sunday Odebode – sponsor/philanthropist; Sule Nasiru – athlete representative; Ebikpolade Ama-Ebi Wilson – South-South; Akunna Boniface Uju – South-East; Ibrahim Abdul-Hamid Ali – North-Central, and Ndanusa Mohammad Sani – North-West.
