Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Governor, has commissioned three new set of Olympic standard table tennis boards worth over two million naira for the state sports council.
The three new table tennis boards were donated by the Chairman of the Kwara Table tennis Association, Mr Shola Owolabi.
The Governor, represented by his Special Adviser on Sports Matters, Malam Attairu Ibrahim, said government alone cannot do it hence he called for support from well to do Nigerians to help sports develop.
He commended Owolabi for his gesture, which he said, will complement the efforts of the government in repositioning sports in the State.
Speaking at the launching of the equipment yesterday, at the table tennis section of the Kwara Indoor Sports hall, Shola Owolabi, said he decided to acquire the Olympic standard materials to hone the skills of the players and improve their performances.
Owolabi added that the equipment were also donated instead of his annual birthday championship, as he expressed optimism that it will galvanize the players to achieve more laurels for the State.
The Director of Sports, Mallam Alarape Atanda, who described the Chairman as a person who has decided to help the helpless and restore hope for the hopeless noted that the new boards will bring the players in tune with the latest aspects of the game.
The former President of Table tennis federation of Nigeria and former Chairman of Kwara State Table tennis Association, Alhaji Abdulwahab Omotose, urged the government to invest more into other sports with a view to exploring opportunities that abound in them.
Also speaking at the occasion, Coach Bola Magaji, a former Squash Racket Federation Vice Chairman and Oba Abdulrazaq Adebayo Abioye, the Olukotun of Ikotun appealed to the government to place premium on school sports with the purpose of discovering more talents.
Kwara Para-Table tennis contingent had came third on the overall medal table of the just concluded Valuejet International Para -Table Championship in Lagos with one gold, one silver and seven bronze medals.
The new equipments were also savoured with exhibition games amongst the guests and players with delight.