Reigning African Junior table tennis champion, Azeez Sholanke alongside national team colleague, Jamiu Ayanwale were at their top form over the weekend as they featured in Stay Home, Stay Safe Table Tennis, an enlightenement/exhibition game to aid in the campaign of people staying at home in order to combat the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
But for the worldwide lockdown caused by the COVID-19, the duo were scheduled to represent Nigeria at the African Junior table tennis championship in Antananarivo, Madagascar.
And they put on top displays at the programme held at Bakare Jafojo street in Abule Oki area of Iyana-Ipaja where a meagre 15 spectators were on hand to cheer them up in keeping with the social distancing rule in curtailing the spread of the disease that has caused thousands of deaths around the world.
The event which was jointly facilitated by Bakare Jafojo residents chairman, Mr Olatubosun Banjo and Chief Olatunde Durosinmi, the Akinrogun of Abule-Oki, had health experts who took time to brief people in the neighbourhood on how the lockdown would work if adhered to in overcoming the spread and eventually getting rid of the coronavirus.
In the Elite Class, Sholanke defeated Ayanwale 4-3 while ageless Segun Tela also had the better of Patience Ojo in Class A.
Others who took part in the three-hour long programme include; Operator Adeyinka, Timothy John, Lateef Adeniji, Abdullahi Ologunro, Seun Olaniyan and Ademola Olatunji.
“The impression that the disease is restricted to a particular set of people has now been proven to be wrong and the only way we can escape being a victim of the disease is to adhere to the social distancing rule, regular washing of hands with soap and water, using alcohol-based sanitisers, etc,” Programme Coordinator, Lukman Ologunro emphasized.
