Table Tennis Development Takes Center Stage in Lagos
By Vivian Ahanmisi
Lagos, Dec. 16, 2025 – The prestigious Daniel Ford Elite Invitational Table Tennis Tournament has launched its third edition, but not with the immediate clash of paddles one might expect. Instead, the event begins with a strategic two-day coaching clinic, signaling a deep commitment to player development that goes beyond mere competition.
The clinic, a cornerstone initiative of the tournament’s sponsors, is being held at the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation Training Centre within the National Stadium complex in Surulere, Lagos. This pre-competition immersion is designed to equip participating athletes with refined techniques, tactical insights, and mental preparation ahead of the main tournament draw, which commences on Friday, December 19, at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall, Teslim Balogun Stadium.
Led by renowned coach Dotun Omoniyi, a cadre of top national instructors will conduct the sessions. Their mandate is to drill players, refresh foundational skills, and introduce advanced strategies to ensure peak performance. This approach recognizes a critical gap in many sporting events: the focus on outcome over process. By investing in pre-tournament education, the organizers aim to elevate the quality of play and ensure every competitor is fully prepared, transforming the event into a true festival of high-level table tennis.
Yemi Edun, the tournament sponsor, elaborated on this philosophy in a statement on Tuesday. “A tournament should not only be about competition and crowning a winner,” Edun stated. “It must also serve as an avenue to sharpen skills and build the athlete holistically. Players improve by facing strong competitors, but that growth is accelerated and deepened through the structured input of coaches, mentors, and experts before they ever step onto the competitive stage. This integrated model ensures every player brings their very best, which is why the overall impact of this tournament on Nigerian table tennis has been overwhelmingly positive.”
A significant development in this year’s edition is the introduction of an Under-12 category. This move is a direct investment in the future, aiming to identify and nurture talent from a young age. Edun framed this as essential for building a sustainable talent pipeline. “It is within our abilities to use this platform to create elite-tier players, because sports mastery must begin early. By providing a competitive yet developmental stage for children, we are planting seeds for the future. Statistically, with our population, we should have a vast reservoir of talent to discover, nurture, and showcase to the world.”
This long-term vision is ambitious. Edun expressed confidence that with consistent efforts like the Daniel Ford Invitational’s clinic and youth categories, Nigeria could ascend to become Africa’s leading table tennis nation within the next seven years. This goal aligns with global trends where nations with structured youth development programs, like China and Germany, dominate the sport.
By blending intense competition with foundational skill development, the Daniel Ford Elite Invitational is crafting a new blueprint for sporting events in Nigeria. It transcends being a mere tournament; it is an incubator for excellence. As the clinic unfolds and the main event approaches, the focus remains firmly on nurturing Nigeria’s next generation of table tennis champions, one drill, one lesson, and one match at a time.
Edited by Kamal Tayo Oropo
