Sports
Olopade Bids Team Nigeria Farewell After Historic Glasgow 2026 Campaign, Salutes Athletes’ Courage, Excellence and Patriotism
By Phemmy Adetula
The Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Bukola Olopade, has bid an emotional farewell to Team Nigeria following the successful conclusion of the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, applauding the athletes for their exceptional performances, discipline, resilience and unwavering commitment to flying the nation’s flag with pride.
Speaking after the colourful closing ceremony during a visit to Team Nigeria’s camp, Olopade commended the athletes, coaches and officials for embodying the Commission’s renewed vision for Nigerian sports. He said their determination, professionalism and fighting spirit throughout the Games had once again reaffirmed Nigeria’s status as a leading sporting nation.
“I am immensely proud of every athlete, coach and official who represented Nigeria in Glasgow. You competed with courage, honour and unwavering determination, proving once again that the Nigerian spirit can never be broken. Beyond the medals, you inspired millions of Nigerians, restored confidence in our sporting future and showed the world that Nigerian sports is on a steady path of renewal and excellence.”
The Director General also expressed profound appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for his steadfast support for sports development, while acknowledging the leadership of the Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Mallam Shehu Dikko, the Commonwealth Games Nigeria, the various sports federations and millions of Nigerians whose encouragement inspired Team Nigeria throughout the Games.
He described the Glasgow campaign as another major milestone in the ongoing transformation of Nigerian sports under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Olopade urged the athletes to celebrate their achievements with humility, remain committed to continuous improvement and keep striving for greater success on the global stage.
“This is not the end of the journey but the beginning of greater accomplishments. Continue to uphold the values of discipline, integrity and excellence. The National Sports Commission remains fully committed to an athlete-first policy and will continue to provide the support and opportunities needed for you to achieve even greater success for Nigeria.”
He wished the contingent a safe journey home, assuring them that the Commission would continue to build on the momentum of Glasgow as it prepares Team Nigeria for future continental and global competitions.
Sports
CityRoxx Targets Sustainable Table Tennis Ecosystem for Nigerian Players
By Joel Ajayi
The Chief Executive Officer and founder of CityRoxx Table Tennis, Giwa Lukman, says his organisation is committed to building a sustainable ecosystem that will provide Nigerian table tennis players with opportunities for talent discovery, development, exposure and career progression.
Lukman made this known during the opening ceremony of the maiden CityRoxx City Smash Open Table Tennis Championship in Abuja, where he outlined his vision of creating a connected sporting community that supports players beyond competitions.
The six-day championship, holding at the Mo Arena Basketball Court in the Federal Capital Territory, has attracted more than 200 players from 33 clubs and over 27 states across the country.
According to Lukman, CityRoxx is not merely interested in organising tournaments but seeks to establish a structure that will support players at every stage of their sporting careers.
“We understand that the future of table tennis cannot depend on competitions alone. We need a structure that supports players before, during and after competitions.
“We want a system where a young player can be discovered, trained, registered, tracked and given opportunities to grow.
“We want players to have proper profiles, competition records and rankings. We want clubs to have a stronger network, while coaches, schools, sponsors and organisers become part of one connected sporting community,” he said.
He said that CityRoxx was developing a digital platform through its website, www.cityroxtabletennis.com, which would serve as a central hub for players, clubs and other stakeholders.
He explained that the platform would enable players to register, build their profiles, follow competitions, access rankings and remain connected to opportunities within the sport.
Lukman added that the organisation was also committed to expanding table tennis through school programmes, grassroots development, tournaments, media engagement and strategic partnerships.
He emphasised the importance of giving Nigerian players greater visibility, noting that their performances and achievements deserved wider recognition.
The CityRoxx founder also called on corporate organisations and private investors to support the development of table tennis, stressing that sponsorship should go beyond branding and become an investment in a growing sporting ecosystem.
He expressed appreciation to the championship sponsors, Kingfem and FCMB, for believing in the vision and supporting the maiden edition.
According to him, their commitment demonstrates the importance of private-sector participation in sports development.
Lukman further encouraged participating athletes to embrace discipline, respect their opponents and officials, and demonstrate good sportsmanship throughout the competition.
He described the championship as an important milestone for Nigerian table tennis, adding that the vision was to build stronger competitions, expand school programmes, strengthen club networks and establish a functional ranking system.
Declaring the championship open on behalf of the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) the Vice President, Hon. Salisu Malantariki, represented by Adamu Usman Ahmed, commended the organisers for their initiative and commitment to the growth of table tennis in Nigeria
Ahmed said the future of Nigerian table tennis depended on collective commitment to grassroots development, improved infrastructure, stronger clubs and regular competitive opportunities.
He urged government institutions, corporate organisations, private investors and sporting communities to support initiatives capable of discovering and nurturing young talents.
The opening ceremony also featured exhibition matches, with Abdulmalik Taofeek defeating his father, Hamzat Taofeek, 2-1 in an entertaining father-and-son encounter.
In the women’s exhibition match, one of Nigeria’s leading players, Ajoke Ojomu, defeated Aminat Sani 2-0.
Lukman expressed optimism that the maiden championship would mark the beginning of a bigger initiative capable of transforming the table tennis landscape and creating lasting opportunities for the next generation of Nigerian players.
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