Gateway Games: Nigeria Needs To Invest In Girls‘ Grassroots Sports —Funke Oshonaike

As the curtain falls on the 22nd National Sports Festival, tagged the Gateway Games, seven-time Olympian and Nigerian table tennis legend, Funke Oshonaike, has called for urgent investment in grassroots sports development, particularly for young girls, warning that without strategic support and funding, Nigeria risks stagnating in global table tennis.

During a surprise visit to the Alake Sports Centre, one of the venues for the Gateway Games, Oshonaike emphasised that while male players are making notable progress, the same cannot be said for their female counterparts.

“We need to build more girls in table tennis. The boys are doing well, but there’s been little improvement on the girls’ side. It’s still the same names we hear. We need fresh talent, and for that to happen, we must create more opportunities and competitions,” Oshonaike said.

The 25-time national champion decried the sharp decline in local tournaments, noting that the current calendar is inadequate for developing competitive athletes.

“In the past, we had about 10 to 12 competitions in a year. Now, we’re lucky to have even four. That’s not enough to grow world-class players,” she lamented.

She also stressed the need for international exposure, saying many talented Nigerian players are stuck competing only locally due to lack of funding.

“We can’t rely on just one name like Quadri Aruna to represent us globally. There are many gifted players, but without financial support, they can’t participate in international events or improve their rankings. We need to send them to junior and senior World Table Tennis (WTT) competitions,” she said.

Oshonaike, who was drawn to the festival after hearing glowing reports from her international network, praised the organizers and expressed joy at the enthusiasm within the sports hall.

“Yes, the hall is hot and crowded, but the energy here is beautiful. It’s amazing to see both local and foreign-based athletes competing. This shows table tennis is still very loved in Nigeria,” she noted.

Funke Oshonaike is a 25-time national champion, 11-time African Games medallist, and three-time continental champion.