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NIGTEQ Donates Teqball Tables To State Associations, others

Published

5 years ago

March 17, 2021

….Seeks Nigerians support to grow the game

Joel Ajayi

The Nigeria Teqball Federation NIGTEQ in collaboration with Hungary Embassy in Nigeria on Tuesday, donated Teqball tables to 29 states including FCT, Schools in geo-political zones and others, the equipment, they believe, would help in the development of the game in the country and beyond.

Presenting the equipment to state chairmen in Abuja, the President of Nigeria Olympic Committee NOC and President of the NIGTEQ Federation, Engr. Habu Gumel, in the company of board executive of the federation and Hungarian Ambassador to Nigeria, revealed that the donation will help the state to develop the game across the country.

According to him, we want to make the game to move faster and be recognized in Africa, we want to ensure that in Africa, Nigeria is the best in terms of Teqball development.

“To me, so far so good, we have 29 states, we have the clubs, and we want to ensure that in every nook and crannies of the country, Teqball will be known.

“In the next two years, I believe Teqball will be acceptable in all states and there will be a lot of drive, we are going to work with the ministry, very soon, we’ll start attending international competition.” he said.

Engr. Gumel however, charged all the states to use the equipment for the growth of the game, “I called on the state chairmen not to keep the tables in the store but to make use of it effectively in such a way that will bring growth to the country.”

In his remarks, the Hungarian Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr. Sandor Beer, said the embassy is not leaving any stone unturned to ensure development of sports in Nigeria saying that, the relationship with Nigeria government has grown even stronger.

“The purpose of this collaboration therefore, is to strengthen the bilateral relations between our countries and offer a wonderful opportunity to hatch young athletes.

“Our commitment is to foster growth between the two countries, and one of the most important possible tools is sports, we have a common goal beside, we see the youth in Nigeria and Hungary as the most important. There is no doubt, Nigeria, as a nation, has abundant of talents, not only in football but in other sports.”

Speaking also, the General Secretary of the federation, Mr. Ndudi Edede, who has been working day and night for the growth of the game in Nigeria said, Teqball was introduced to Nigeria by the embassy of Hungary in 2018 and since then, the game is growing gradually in the country.

While giving explanation about the sport, he explained that Teqball is a sport in nature of table tennis and football that is played with all parts of the body except hands , it has less injury, it’s a sport that is enjoyable and 100% sure of flourishing in Nigeria.

According to him, Teqball is already in 211 countries in the world.

“We have 29 member states including FCT and we are working hard to have all the 36 states of the federation very soon.”

Talking on the importance of the donation of the Teqball tables to the state federations, he said; “I think it’s going to help a lot, because since the inception, we had just 3 Teqball tables in the country and this has slowed the growth of the game in Nigeria. Now, total number of 56 tables was donated by Hungary embassy, this means there is going to be a lot of improvement soon.

“In our plan to spread the game, we used certain criteria in the distribution of the tables, we are giving the last year’s best two NPFL clubs Enyimba FC and Plateau United tables, we are giving the 4 best NWFL River Angels, Bayelsa Queen, Kogi Confluence and Nassarawa Amazon one each, we will also give two school in each geopolitical zones and also recreation centers. We are still expecting more.”

When asked about funding of the game, he replied, the NIGTEQ right now is being funded by the member of the executive committee, but I can assure you that the federation will not relent in its determination to create more awareness in the country, in order to attract the sponsors.

He however, said that federations have lined-up a lot of tourneys in the country as well as training for Coaches and Referees.

Mr. Emmanuel, therefore, commended the Eaglenet logistic service limited for the service rendered in convening the Teqball tables, while using the occasion to seek support of corporate bodies as well as well-meaning Nigerians.

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Daughters of Dr. Charles Ononiwu, Chiamanda and Chiamaka, Launch Debut Books to Uplift Hearts Facing Life’s Struggles

Published

3 weeks ago

October 10, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

At just 18 and 20 years old, Chiamanda and Chiamaka Ononiwu — daughters of renowned Nigerian surgeon Dr. Charles Ononiwu — have achieved a remarkable milestone with the release of their debut inspirational books, Do Not Be Afraid and Waterfalls.

Their literary journey began six years ago, during the height of the global COVID-19 pandemic. While the world was engulfed in fear and uncertainty, the then 13- and 15-year-old sisters turned inward, using writing as an outlet to process their emotions, express their faith, and reach out to others with messages of hope and resilience.

What began as a quiet act of creativity blossomed into two powerful books that now serve as beacons of light for readers navigating life’s storms.

Eighteen-year-old Chiamanda Ononiwu is the author of Do Not Be Afraid. A passionate Electrical Engineering student , she is also a proud alumna of Intellichild TLC and Valedictorian of Great Blessings School, Class of 2022.

In her book, she addresses the emotional challenges many young people face and draws from her personal faith to offer guidance and encouragement.

Her elder sister, Chiamaka Ononiwu, 20, is a final-year medical student at Babcock University in Nigeria. She penned Waterfalls, a heartfelt and deeply spiritual work she describes as divinely inspired. Chiamaka views her writing as a calling — a mission to uplift souls and bring hope to those struggling with life’s challenges.

“Personally, I would say it all started with the idea of inclusion, inspired by real human experiences,” Chiamaka shared. “We’ve had conversations with people who’ve gone through difficult situations — including issues and those stories helped shape what I write today.”

She added, “It’s all about encouraging people to face life with faith. We began this journey during a dark time in the world, and I felt called to create something that could offer comfort and hope — not just locally, but globally.”

The official book launch and signing ceremony took place on Wednesday in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, and was attended by family, friends, colleagues, and well-wishers. It was a celebration of creativity, faith, and youthful brilliance, as the sisters presented their work to an inspired audience.

Speaking at the event, Chiamaka emphasized the core message of her book: “Waterfalls reminds readers that God is always watching over His people. He doesn’t bring fear — He brings peace, hope, and love. I want readers to find comfort and assurance in that truth.”

For Chiamanda, her book is a message to young people who may feel overwhelmed by life’s pressures: “Do Not Be Afraid is especially for youth navigating difficult times. No matter how hard life gets, you can always find strength and direction in God’s word.”

Writing came naturally to both sisters. Chiamaka recalled, “Even as a child, I loved writing short stories for my siblings. When the opportunity came to publish, I knew it was time to share my message with a wider audience.”

Despite their demanding academic paths, both young women balanced their studies with writing through perseverance and faith.

Chiamanda and Chiamaka are united by a shared dream — to inspire people across the world with their writing.

Chiamaka expressed Further; “Our biggest hope is that these books will reach people who need to know that God is real, that He’s always with them, and that through Him, anything is possible,” Chiamaka said.

With Do Not Be Afraid and Waterfalls, the Ononiwu sisters have not only created literary works — they’ve created lifelines. Their voices, grounded in faith and driven by purpose, remind readers everywhere that even in the darkest moments, God’s light never fades.

Their father, Dr. Charles Ononiwu — a distinguished surgeon and deeply devoted parent — also spoke at the event, sharing the journey from his perspective.

“For me, my number one priority has always been to care for children — not just medically, but also by encouraging them academically and in the basics of life,” he said.

He recounted a moving moment with Chiamanda, who approached him with the idea of sharing her story publicly to inspire others.

“She came to me and said she wanted to talk to her peers, to share how she had been comforted, and to help them see that everything would be okay,” he recalled. “As a father, my role was to guide her. I support both of them, help activate their strengths, and provide direction.”

Dr. Ononiwu made the decision to fund the publication of their books himself, believing in the power of their message.

“I told them, ‘You have something the world needs. You can make an impact in the lives of others,’” he said. “I believe every child has a gift. It is our responsibility as parents not to dismiss them, but to help them discover and nurture their talents.”

He encouraged all parents to support their children’s creative pursuits, noting, “Every person has something special inside them — no one is without talent. It’s just a matter of looking inward, discovering that gift, and sharing it with the world.”

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