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

Tangerine APT Pension Crowned New Kings of PFA Games 2025

Published

4 hours ago

November 30, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi
Joel Ajayi Tangerine APT Pension stormed the 2025 Pension Fund Administrators Games and snatched the crown with a commanding 66 points—ending FCMB’s reign and announcing themselves as the new champions of corporate sporting excellence.

From the first whistle to the final scoreboard, Tangerine APT played like an organisation possessed. They dominated volleyball and snooker, showcased brilliant tactical depth to finish second in chess behind Norrenberger, secured second place in team bonding behind Premium Pension, and held their own across the board—fourth in football, sixth in table tennis, fifth in scrabble, and eighth in e-sports, press conference, discipline and grooming. Every point mattered, and Tangerine APT grabbed them with fire.

Defending champions FCMB, despite flashes of brilliance, simply could not summon last year’s magic.

They finished second overall with 63 points—just three points behind the new champions. FCMB were first in scrabble, second in football, third in table tennis and e-sports, fourth in snooker and team bonding, and fifth in volleyball, chess, and press conference/discipline/grooming. A brave defence, but not enough to stop the Tangerine wave.

Rounding off the podium is NPF Pension, finishing third with 57 points after a spirited campaign. They claimed gold in football, second in table tennis and e-sports, third in volleyball, fourth in scrabble, sixth in press conference/discipline/fanfare/most coordinated, seventh in chess, and eighth in snooker and team bonding.

The rest of the table saw fierce competition:4th – Norrenberger Pension: 52 points, 5th – Premium Pension: 47 points, 6th – NNPC Pension: 45 points, 7th – Access Arm: 41 points
In Others position 8th – Trustfund Pension: 29 points 9th – PENCOM: 28 points and 10th – NUPEMCO: 25 points.

With the dust settled and the cheers still echoing, one truth stands tall:Tangerine APT Pension has ushered in a new era—bold, dominant, and unforgettable.

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