- Safiu Kehinde
President Bola Tinubu has joined other well wishers to celebrate the emergence of Wahid Oshodi as the newly elected President of the African Table Tennis Federation.
Tinubu, in his felicitation message issued on Tuesday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, described Oshodi’s election as a proud moment for Nigeria.
According to the statement, Wahid, a former Lagos Commissioner of Youth, Sports and Social Development, was elected at the organisation’s elective annual general meeting on Tuesday in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
He was also a former Nigerian Table Tennis Federation President and ATTF’s Deputy President.
The statement read in part; “President Bola Tinubu congratulates Wahid Enitan Oshodi of Nigeria on his election as President of the African Table Tennis Federation (ATTF).
“Oshodi, the Deputy President of ATTF and former Lagos state commissioner for Youth, Sports and Social Development, was elected at the organisation’s elective annual general meeting on Tuesday, October 15, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
“The President notes that Oshodi’s election is a proud moment for Nigeria, reflecting the strong support he garnered in the lead-up.
“He was nominated by the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) and backed by several African nations, indicating the country’s unwavering support for its sports leaders.
“He says Oshodi’s election is also a vote of confidence in a seasoned sports administrator who has committed his time, energy, and resources to develop table tennis at the grassroots level and demonstrated his integrity, accountability, and dedication in carrying out his responsibilities.
“His commitment inspires all sports enthusiasts and is a hopeful sign for the future of table tennis.
Meanwhile, Tinubu maintained that Oshodi’s leadership will elevate table tennis across Africa and bring the sport to the next level of success across the continent.
Oshodi was a former President of NTTF, a member of the Board of Directors for the Commonwealth Table Tennis Federation (CTTF) and the current Executive Vice President of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF).
His distinguished career in sports administration began in 2000 when he was appointed to the Lagos State Sports Council Governing Board by then-Governor Bola Tinubu.
While serving as chairman of the Lagos State Table Tennis Association (LSTTA), Oshodi was appointed in 2011 by Governor Babatunde Fashola as Commissioner for Youth, Sports, and Social Development. As commissioner, he oversaw the highly successful National Sports Festival, tagged “Eko 2012,” which further cemented his reputation for excellence in sports management.
While applauding Oshodi’s passion and commitment toward advancing table tennis at the local, national and continent levels, the Nigerian leader assures him of the country’s continued goodwill and necessary support to succeed in his new role.