Oshodi emerges as second Nigerian ATTF president

Nigeria’s Enitan Oshodi has been unanimously elected as the President of the African Table Tennis Federation at the body’s 2024 Annual General Meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Tuesday, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

Oshodi, a former Commissioner for Youth, Sports, and Social Development in Lagos State, succeeds Egypt’s Khaled El-Salhy, who had led the Federation since 2010.

The newly-elected president’s journey to the ATTF top seat follows decades of involvement in table tennis, both locally and internationally. Under his leadership as commissioner, Lagos became a key destination for table tennis, hosting numerous high-profile events.

Oshodi’s election makes him the second Nigerian to hold the ATTF presidency, after Engr. Segun George, and the only Nigerian currently heading a continental sports federation.

This comes on the heels of his roles as Deputy President of ATTF and Executive Vice President of the International Table Tennis Federation, positions that have solidified his influence in African and global sports administration.

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, had earlier thrown his weight behind Oshodi’s bid, praising his longstanding commitment to the development of table tennis.

“His genuine passion for table tennis over the past decades has made a lasting impact on the sport, not only in Lagos but across Africa,” said Gbenga Omotoso, Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, in a statement.

Oshodi’s journey in sports administration began when he served as Chairman of the Lagos State Table Tennis Association before his appointment as commissioner in 2011 during the tenure of Governor Babatunde Fashola.

Under his leadership, Lagos emerged as a global hub for table tennis, hosting the highly successful ‘Eko 2012’ National Sports Festival and introducing the International Sports Classics series, which drew top athletes from across the continent.

As ATTF President, Oshodi is expected to leverage his experience and connections to further develop table tennis across the African continent, building on the foundation laid by his predecessor.

His unanimous election underscores the confidence that African table tennis stakeholders have in his ability to steer the sport to greater heights on the continent.