The Atunluse of Ibakan Kingdom, Ogun State who also doubles as the founder and financier of the annual Baale Table Tennis Championship, Baale Oluranti Ademola Ilori says that the main reason behind the annual tournament is to unite the youths of Idofe, Iganran, Falafounmu, Ibakan Oke and Isale, Odosapo Jenloye and Toloye, Imope as well as those of Aparaki, Odoalamo, Ipari Oke, Odokalaba, Okeyejo, Ilaporu, Ipari Isale, Oru, Oke-Olowu, Oke-Eri, Idona, Ago Iwoye, Ijebu-Igbo and Awa.
He noted that as the planning committee are planning for the sixth edition scheduled to hold on Monday 1st of January, 2024 by 2.00pm, all the youths in the aforementioned communities should come out en mass to participate in the excise just as he admonished young athletes to see sports as a lucrative venture
The Olori ilu explained that: ‘“Table tennis raises the heart rate, helps strengthen muscles, mobilizes the joints and, importantly, sharpens reaction times and hugely improves hand-eye coordination,” he says.
“All of these help to improve one’s quality of life. Not only does the sport help us stay fit, agile and healthy, it also helps develop individual sporting talents as well as help in bringing people from the local communities together’’.
On the Health Benefits of Table Tennis, Baale Ilori stressed that: ‘’Aside from being a fun way to spend a nice time with your family members and friends at the village, table tennis also offers surprisingly great health benefits. Like most sports, table tennis offers great mind-body stimulation, aerobic exercise, and social interaction. Unlike many sports, however, the overall risk for injury with table tennis is quite low.’’
According to the Chairman of the organising committee, Olusesan Olukoya, plans are on to host community members again on the first day of the year through this annual event.
‘’So far so good, we want to thank God for how far he has been with us on the Baale Table Tennis Championship.
“This is the sixth edition and to an extent, the purpose of the championship which is to create mutual understanding and peaceful co-existence has been achieved since we commenced the community based championship in January 2019 as winners have emerged from Ibakan-Isale, Ibakan-Oke, Aparaki and Odosapo; though it holds in Ibakan Oke annually courtesy of the Sponsorship of Baale Oluranti Ilori’’.
Meanwhile, LOC Chairman of the competition has announced that plans are on to organize the sixth edition of the championship that will hold at Ibakan Oke on Monday 1st January 2024 by 2.00pm.
He explained that the first, second, third and fourth winners would be presented with cash, medals, Branded T-shirts, and trophy as well as other valuable prizes.
” So with this, all and sundries are expected to attend the timely championship coming up on the first day of the New Year.
Olusegun Ilori won the 2023 edition which came up on the 1st day of the year as usual and the event was a huge success”, Olukoya concluded.
