The Lagos State Government has endorsed Wahid Enitan Oshodi for the post of African Table Tennis Federation (ATTF) President.
He is the last person to occupy the position of Commissioner for Youth, Sports and Social Development in the state.

Since his tenure, Lagos State has had a chairman for the sports commission.

 Oshodi is set to contest as the chieftain of the continental body at the 2024 Elective Annual General Meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on October 15.
In a statement by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, the government expressed its support for Oshodi’s candidacy, citing “his genuine passion for table tennis over the past decades”.
  Under Oshodi’s leadership as Commissioner, Lagos became a prominent destination for table tennis globally.
“We are backing him and wish him all the best. He is a worthy Lagosian who has encouraged many of our youths to take up the game as professionals. Besides, he has been at the forefront of our talent search. He has groomed many,” Omotoso quoted Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu as saying.
Oshodi began his journey as the Chairman of the Lagos State Table Tennis Association and became Commissioner in 2011 during Governor Babatunde Fashola’s administration.
During his tenure as Commissioner, Lagos hosted the highly acclaimed National Sports Festival, ‘Eko 2012,’ and established itself as a key sports hub in Africa with the introduction of the International Sports Classics series.
Sanwo-Olu highlighted Oshodi’s rising profile in the world of table tennis, noting: “We are excited that Mr. Oshodi has continued to make Lagos and Nigeria proud with his impeccable record within and outside Africa. In 2021, he became a leading figure in world table tennis; he was elected Executive Vice President of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) and Deputy President of ATTF. We believe his election will positively impact table tennis and sports in general, and we are confident that Lagos will continue to be a leading city in table tennis in Africa.”
If elected, Oshodi will be the second Nigerian to hold the prestigious position, following the steps of Segun George, a former ATTF President. His election will also make him the only Nigerian heading a continental Sports Federation.

Women’s singles defending champion Dina Meshref has announced her decision to withdraw from the 2024 ITTF African Championships. She cited the need to recuperate from several tournaments and trips undertaken before the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in France.

Meshref, who is notably absent from the list of top players for the continental event in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, remains optimistic about the Egyptian team’s chances. “I wanted a good break after the Olympic Games, so I withdrew a few days after returning home. I needed to free myself from any commitments and tournament preparations. I’ve been travelling extensively and training hard for years, and I needed at least a month to relax and make the right plans and decisions for the next stage of my career,” she explained.

Reflecting on her experience at the Paris Olympic Games, the six-time African champion described it as worthwhile. “I believe Team Egypt is very strong. Even in my absence, I am confident they can win several medals,” she said.

Meshref added, “Playing at the Paris Olympics was very enjoyable. I had a lot of fun with all the passionate spectators. Although I wished for a better draw in the round of 32, I am satisfied that I managed to play my best table tennis.”

The intense rivalry between Africa’s top table tennis nations, Egypt and Nigeria, will be reignited at the 2024 ITTF African Championships. This prestigious event will take place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from October 12 to 19.

Serving as qualifiers for the 2024 ITTF Mixed Team Cup in China and the 2025 World Championships in Qatar, the tournament will feature top teams and regional champions competing in two team events and five individual events: Men’s Teams, Women’s Teams, Men’s Singles, Women’s Singles, Men’s Doubles, Women’s Doubles, and Mixed Doubles.

Returning to Ethiopia after 24 years, the Local Organising Committee (LOC) promises an exciting competition.

As the reigning champions, Egypt will face fierce competition from arch-rival Nigeria, along with strong contenders like Tunisia and Algeria.

Khaled El-Salhy, President of the African Table Tennis Federation (ATTF), expressed confidence in Ethiopia’s preparations, highlighting their successful hosting of the Eastern Regional Championships in 2023.

“We awarded the hosting right to Ethiopia after their presentation at the last AGM in Tunisia as well as the successful staging of the Eastern Regional Championships in 2023 which gave us a perfect indication that they deserve to get the host of the 2024 ITTF-African Championships especially that they have not hosted any African major events in Addis Ababa since 2000,” he added.

“We believe the Ethiopia Table Tennis Federation has the experience to ensure a smooth and seamless tournament,” he said.

“The level of competition will be high as players vie for qualification to the 2025 World Championships in Doha, Qatar.”