Lagos promises to host ITTF World Championships

Speaking during a courtesy visit by the ITTF team to his office yesterday in Lagos, Hamzat, said the state would continue to support table tennis , adding Lagos would be willing to host the world.

“I am excited to receive the ITTF team in my official office which used to be the office of the Governor of Lagos State which was built in 1979 and this visit is significant, especially in this office,” Hamza told the August visitors.“ We are happy that our efforts have started yielding positive results with Quadri Aruna now ranked among the top 10 players in the world.

“ In the past, the Chinese that used to dominate the top in the world. We will continue to support table tennis and we want all our visitors to enjoy the atmosphere in Lagos, we are ready to show what more we can do by hosting world championships as we are ready to do it and we believe ITTF will consider maybe for next year,” Hamzat added.

The ITTF team, led by Executive President Wahid Enitan Oshodi said the visit became necessary following the huge support ITTF has got from the state in the last eight years.

Oshodi said: “We are here on a Thank-You visit because Lagos has been a major supporter of table tennis in Africa, and we are happy that the support has started yielding fruit now that Aruna is now ranked among the top 10 players in the world.

“ We hope that more players will come through like Aruna. Lagos has been the backbone of table tennis in Africa, and we hope that this support will be sustained by the state.”

Speaking in the same vein, President of ITTF Africa, Khaled El-Salhy, Lagos has continued to raise the bar when it comes to hosting major table tennis tournaments while ITTF and ATTF would continue to look up to the state for more support.

Photo caption: Dr. Hamzat (right) presenting a plaque to ITTF Africa President, Khaled El-Salhy yesterday. With them is Oshodi.