In a bid to promote youth participation in sports, particularly Table Tennis, philanthropist and sports enthusiast Ahmed Khamisu Mailantarki has donated Table Tennis boards and accessories across the six states of Nigeria’s Northeast region.
The donation was made during the two-day Maiden Table Tennis Clinic held at the indoor hall of the Jolly Nyame Stadium in Jalingo, Taraba State.
The event brought together young participants and coaches from across the six Northeastern states for intensive training sessions and talent discovery.
Speaking at the clinic, Mailantarki said his gesture was driven by a passion to develop Table Tennis in the region. He explained that the initiative aims to “catch them young” by identifying and nurturing promising talents who can go on to represent the Northeast at national and international competitions.
Also present, Heman Timothy, a board member of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) from the Northeast, praised Mailantarki’s commitment to grassroots sports development. He commended the coaches for their hands-on sessions and urged them to continue mentoring the identified talents in their respective states.
The Chief Coach of the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation, Bello Nasiru, described the clinic as a vital platform for discovering and grooming young players. He applauded Mailantarki’s support and revealed that similar clinics would soon be held across other states in the region as part of an ongoing talent hunt.
Shuabu Okainde, Technical Director on the Board of the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation, also hailed the event as one of the best grassroots efforts to groom future players, while appreciating the sponsor’s investment in youth development.
In his remarks, George Shitta, Director of the Taraba State Sports Council, expressed gratitude to the organizers for choosing Taraba to host the maiden edition. He also thanked the national coaches for dedicating their time and expertise to training the youth.
