Abdulfatai, Udoaka, emerge winner of 2025 National Table Tennis Championships

Posted : 05 May 2025

In a sheer moment of brilliance, Kwara State-born Abdulbasit Abdulfatai emerged as the champion in the male category of the 5th Michael and Felicia Alabi Memorial National Table Tennis Championships, held in the historic town of Otan Ayegbaju, Osun State.

In the female category, fast-rising athlete Hope Udoaka from Cross River also emerged as the champion.

Abdulfatai, who had been the tournament’s poster boy en route to the finals, defeated the defending champion in the quarterfinals.

He then overpowered another strong contender, Matthew Fabunmi, with a convincing 4-0 victory (12-10, 11-4, 11-4, 11-7) to lift the Men’s Singles title.

In the Women’s Singles final, Udoaka showcased her skills, defeating veteran Halima Hussain from Oyo 4-1 (11-5, 11-9, 9-11, 11-7, 11-7) to claim the championship.

In the U-15 categories, Ifeoluwa Ajasa from Lagos triumphed over Deborah Faleye from Edo 3-1 (11-8, 6-11, 11-6, 11-7) to win the girls’ title, while Marvelous Joseph from Kogi defeated Umar Ayoola from Osun 3-1 (11-9, 11-2, 10-12, 11-8) to become the boys' champion.

Tournament referee John Peter described this year's event as unique, blending table tennis with entertainment, as participants enjoyed performances by various artists each day.

“The 5th edition of the Michael and Felicia Alabi Table Tennis Festival was a combination of play and fun. The standard of play kept rising from stage to stage, culminating in the ousting of the defending champions in both the Men's and Women's Singles during the quarterfinals.

Most of the 15 events saw new champions emerge, and a new dimension was added to the organization, with university students volunteering and assisting in various areas,” Peter said.

The grand finale of the five-day tournament was attended by the Governor of Osun State, Senator Ademola Adeleke, along with the Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Adewale Egbedun, and the royal leader of Otan Ayegbaju, HRM Ọba Adesola Ojo Fadipe, among other notable personalities.

The N11.5 million prize money was sanctioned by the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) and organized by the Osun State Table Tennis Association.

The event attracted players from various states, including Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Taraba, Nasarawa, Abia, Adamawa, Anambra, Delta, Edo, Kwara, Kogi, Ekiti, Katsina, Niger, Zamfara, and the host state, Osun.

Clubs such as Aruna Sports Club, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and the Nigeria Police Force also participated in the national ranking championships.

Abdulfatai, Udoaka, emerge winner of 2025 National Table Tennis Championships

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