“Era of oppression in Nigerian table tennis must end”
By Philips Robinson-Adefioye, UK
Ahead of the forthcoming elections for Technical and Players’ Representatives into the board of the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF), the incumbent Players’ Representative, Kehinde Aiyelabegan, has called on the National Sports Commission (NSC) to take over coordination of the election from the NTTF.
In an exclusive telephone interview with www.sunrisetimes.com.ng, Aiyelabegan urged that the elections, originally scheduled to hold in Lagos, be moved to Abuja to curb alleged manipulations and ensure a free and fair process.
Aiyelabegan, a North-Central representative on the board, alleged that some NTTF board members were plotting to hijack the process, and expressed concern over what he described as looming malpractice.
“In past elections, all Technical and Players’ Representatives presented letters from their respective State Sports Councils to confirm their eligibility to vote. Now, there are plans to open up the elections, violating established procedures,” he said.
He added, “This year’s Technical and Players’ Representative elections should be conducted in Abuja to avoid undue influence. Some NTTF members are boasting that they are the alpha and omega of table tennis in Nigeria, claiming that they control the game and can do as they please.”
“It was shocking to see a letter posted by the NTTF on the Nigerian Table Tennis Coaches Association platform stating that the election will now be open to all technical officials and athletes. That’s irregular. In the past, only two accredited delegates from each state, including the FCT—making a total of 74—were eligible to vote. Opening the election now gives unfair advantage, especially to my opponent from Lagos, who could easily rally unofficial voters in his favour.”
Aiyelabegan appealed to the Chairman of the NSC to step in and relocate the election to Abuja to prevent electoral malpractice and safeguard the integrity of the process.
The veteran Kwara State coach, known for producing several top players, also emphasized the need to revive grassroots development and reintroduce table tennis leagues at both state and national levels.
Aiyelabegan, a former bronze medallist at the 2004 National Sports Festival in Abuja, said his bid for re-election is motivated by a desire to raise the standard of the game in Nigeria.
He also recalled his past performance as a second runner-up in the team event of the defunct Arco National Table Tennis Championship in the 1990s in Lagos.
He vowed to end the current trend of inviting select players to national camps without open trials.
“I will ensure that grassroots talent is discovered across all states and that the national league is revived. The era of hand-picking players for national duty is over. We have many untapped talents both within and outside Nigeria who deserve a chance. Trials must be open, transparent, and merit-based.”
He further explained that the new system would involve three stages of trials to identify the best players capable of representing Nigeria on the international stage.
“This practice of recycling the same players for every international tournament must stop. We need a system that rewards performance, not connections.”
The NTTF Technical and Players’ Representative election is scheduled to hold on 10th September 2025.
