As one of its unique sporting competition, the Lagos State Sports Commission (LSSC) has pledged its support to the annual Asoju Oba Molade Okoya-Thomas Table Tennis Cup as the 48th edition of the competition begins on Monday November 21.
According to the chairman of LSSC, Deji Tinubu, it behoves on the state to continue to nurture the tournament which had produced stars for the state and the country.
“I must say that this is the foremost sporting competition in this country and seeing some of the champions still connected to the championships showed the good organisation that the competition has continued to enjoy. I am pledging the support of the state to the tournament and we hope more top players can come through again like other top stars like Olufunke Oshonaike, Atanda Musa and a host of others,” Tinubu said.
However, being the oldest sporting competition in the country, the 48th edition will commence on Monday November 21 with 22 titles expected to be jostled for by players in Lagos State.
For Ayodeji Okoya-Thomas, the Okoya-Thomas family would continue to water the seed sown by their late father, while disclosing that this year’s the women singles title would be renamed and known as Lady Olivet Okoya-Thomas Women’s trophy after their departed mother.
His words: “This of course will be the second, after 46 years, that is not being addressed by the initiator and sole sponsor of the tournament, Sir Chief Molade Okoya-Thomas. One of his greatest wishes while alive was that the family should continue the sponsorship of the tournament after his demise; we would therefore like to give God all the glory for giving us the enablement to continue this noble legacy for the second year running since he was called to glory.”
The grand finale is schedule for Friday November 25 at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall of Teslim Balogun Stadium.
