Unseeded Oyo State defied all odds to emerge champions at the second edition of the Senator Abiru Mixed Team Table Tennis Championships, which concluded over the weekend at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall, Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos.
Led by the dynamic duo Wasiu Azeez and Halima Hussein, Oyo stunned the tournament favourites in a thrilling campaign that featured 30 teams from Nigeria, Togo, and Benin Republic.
Despite entering the competition unseeded, Oyo and Bayelsa reached the final after outplaying top-seeded states including Lagos, Edo, and Kwara.
In the keenly contested final, witnessed by the tournament’s sponsor Senator Tokunbo Abiru, Oyo took an early lead by winning the mixed doubles before Bayelsa’s Hope Udoaka equalised. However, Azeez delivered a spirited comeback, overturning a 1–0 deficit to defeat Samuel Boboye 3–1.
Hussein then teamed up with Khadijat Okanlawon in the women’s doubles to defeat Udoaka and Iyanuoluwa Falana, sealing a 3–1 overall victory for Oyo State.
In the third-place playoff, Kwara State bounced back from their semi-final defeat with a commanding 3–0 win over Lagos Team 2, taking home the bronze medal in the ₦5.5 million prize money event.
In his closing remarks, Senator Abiru commended the players for their impressive displays and reaffirmed his commitment to the growth of the championship.
“This tournament has once again shown that when we create the right environment for our youth, talent flourishes, friendships blossom, and excellence thrives,” Abiru said.
“We witnessed great passion, skill, and sportsmanship throughout the event, reminding us of the unity and beauty of competition.”
He further announced plans to make the 2026 edition even more expansive, positioning the tournament as a premier African sporting event that will continue to place Lagos East, Lagos State, and Nigeria on the continental sports map.
About the Author
