Sports

Minister adopts Young table Tennis Prodigies Okanlawon, Mustapha Brothers

Published

4 years ago

June 4, 2021

The Minister of Youth and Sports Development Mr. Sunday has reiterated Government’s commitment to support the trio of Table Tennis Champions- Usman Okanlawon and the Mustapha brothers through the Talent Hunt Programme to enable them win more laurels for the country.

The Minister gave this assurance in his office in Abuja on Thursday when he received in audience the three Table Tennis Champions Usman Okanlawon, Musa and Mustafa Mustafa who were led by the Caretaker Committee Chairman of the Table Tennis Federation Engineer Ishaku Tikon.

Mr. Dare said their adoption into the fold of the TableTennis Federation is very important as it would expose them to tournaments that would sharpen and hone their skill through sponsorship. ” We are excited because our emphasis on other sports is paying off..

I’m excited and thrilled that Nigerian Athletes are performing excellently well. Nigeria is proud of your performance which is an indication that our grassroots sports development is on a progressive chart”.

The Minister added ”The Talents Hunt Programme of the Ministry will adopt and support the Mustapha brothers and Usman Okanlawon.They will be supported anytime they are to take part in competition. They will be closely monitored so that they can continue to excel”.

He attributed the performances of Okanlawon, silver medalist in the Under 15 Youngsters Contender series and the Mustapha brothers 11th and 14th ITTF ranking as a testament of their immense talent. .

Mr Dare also commended the excellent performances of Nigerian Athletes like Ese Brume, Tobi Amusan, Blessing Okagbare and Uche Eke and their doggedness for podium performances.” We are happy that Nigerians are putting up excellent performancesall over the world , Nigeria is proud of you , I am proud of you and will lend you all necessary support”

Caretaker committee Chairman of the Nigerian Table Tennis Federation Engineer Ishaku Tikon expressed delight that the Minister’s Talent Hunt Program was already yielding results. He thanked the Minister for lending necessary support to Table Tennis and other sports.

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Sports

LEADERSHIP Newspaper’s Salifu Usman Receives SWAN Fellowship In Recognition Of Sports Development Efforts

Published

3 hours ago

November 2, 2025

The Gleamer

Salifu Abubakar Usman, Group Sports Editor of LEADERSHIP Newspaper, has been honoured with the Fellow of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) award, in recognition of his exceptional support for the association, professional journalism, and his significant contributions to sports development in Nigeria.

The esteemed accolade was presented during SWAN’s Diamond Jubilee Celebration, held in Abuja, marking 60 years of excellence in sports journalism across the nation.

Upon receiving the award, Salifu expressed profound gratitude, describing the honour as a source of inspiration and renewed motivation to further his lifelong dedication to sports reporting, promotion, and growth.

“This award gives me hope and motivation to do more. It’s a source of inspiration for me and my family, and I believe it will encourage me further in sports reporting and sports development in Nigeria,” he stated.

Salifu highlighted that this recognition serves as a morale boost following decades of hard work and impactful contributions within Nigeria’s sports community and beyond.

The SWAN Diamond Jubilee Celebration attracted prominent figures from sports administration, the media, and government sectors to celebrate individuals and organisations whose efforts have significantly advanced sports development and journalism in Nigeria.

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