Bayelsa Govt. opens world-class table tennis facility in Yenagoa

Posted : 15 May 2025

It was a joyous moment as stakeholders in the sports sector from across the country converged on Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, to inaugurate a world-class, ultra-modern table tennis facility, the "Coastal Fortress."

The Coastal Fortress is a state-of-the-art facility built by Ama-Ebi Ebikpolade Stow, the chairman of the Bayelsa State Table Tennis Association, to provide table tennis players with adequate preparation for tournaments.

Inaugurating the beautiful edifice, Governor Douye Diri, who was accompanied by his deputy, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, and other political appointees, noted that the initiator of the project, Ama-Ebi Ebikpolade Stow, has written his name in gold, describing the event as a momentous occasion.

He emphasized that sports development remains one of the key pillars of his administration's "Assured" Prosperity programme, maintaining that sports is an area that can positively divert youths from crime and criminality.

According to the state helmsman, sports has provided youths in the state with a means of livelihood aside from education, stating that sports as a skill has enabled many youths worldwide to become self-reliant.

He noted that Team Nigeria’s brilliant outing in the just-concluded African Senior Wrestling Championship in Casablanca, Morocco, was a reflection of the huge investment in sports development, adding that wrestling remains a sport in which Bayelsa enjoys a comparative advantage.

Governor Diri, while appreciating the Bayelsa State Table Tennis Association chairman for his investment in table tennis, asserted that Stow has reduced the pressure on the government and urged other well-meaning Bayelsans to invest in sports development.

Governor Diri also announced the appointment of the South-South representative of the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation as Technical Adviser to the governor on sports and table tennis, describing him as a role model for the younger generation.

“As you know, sports development is one of the key pillars of our Assured development programme. Sports is an area we can use to remove our youths from crime and criminality.

“For me, it brings great pleasure to be here to see what this young man has done. I believe this facility will be very beneficial to the people of Bayelsa State and Nigeria,” Governor Diri stated.

Director General of the National Sports Commission, Bukola Olapade, represented by the Special Adviser to the DG on sports, Ebidowei Oweifie, said the event was a testament to the governor's unwavering passion for sports development.

Earlier in his welcome address, Commissioner for Sports Development Dr. Daniel Igali opined that the development of sports would not be complete without good facilities, pointing out that Stow’s gesture has lifted the spirit of the government.

In a remark, chairman of the Bayelsa State Table Tennis Association, Mr. Ama-Ebi Ebikpolade Stow, reflected on his journey in table tennis, which began in 2018 when he served as Vice Chairman under former Director of Sports, Chief Patimidi Tukuru.

He explained that the Fortress is more than a personal venture; it is a contribution to the sporting future of Bayelsa State. The facility is designed to close the gap between children from poor and rich backgrounds, stressing that every athlete will be treated with equal opportunity regardless of their background.

The NTTF South-South representative noted that the facility is equipped with a range of modern amenities designed to support both training and comfort, including two restaurants, the chairman’s office, a reception area, sports lounges, separate changing rooms for athletes, and four restrooms.

In separate goodwill messages, Benson Agadaga, the Senator representing Bayelsa East who also served as chairman of the occasion and Chairman of the House Committee on Sports, and Tare Porri appreciated the visionary Ama-Ebi Ebikpolade Stow for complementing the government's efforts, adding that the facility would keep young people in the state engaged.

The highlight of the event was the unveiling of the foreign coach, Luciano Esposito from Italy, as well as the Bayelsa State Table Tennis Team for the National Sports Festival in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

Bayelsa Govt. opens world-class table tennis facility in Yenagoa

ADD A COMMENT :

Hot Topics