By tf-lawyer.com The Lagos State Government has officially thrown its support behind Wahid Enitan Oshodi, a former Commissioner for Youth, Sports, and Social Development, as he aims for the presidency of the African Table Tennis Federation (ATTF). Oshodi plans to contend for this position at the 2024 Elective Annual General Meeting, which will be held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on October 15.
In a statement from the state’s Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, the government expressed its strong endorsement of Oshodi’s candidacy. Omotoso emphasized Oshodi’s longstanding dedication to table tennis over the past decades.
“Wahid Oshodi has our full support, and we wish him all the success in this endeavor. He is a distinguished Lagosian who has inspired many of our youth to pursue professional table tennis. Furthermore, he has been at the forefront of discovering and nurturing talent,” Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu stated.
Oshodi’s journey in sports leadership began when he became the Chairman of the Lagos State Table Tennis Association. He went on to serve as Commissioner in 2011 during the administration of Governor Babatunde Fashola. His time in office saw Lagos hosting the renowned National Sports Festival, ‘Eko 2012,’ which helped establish the city as an important sports hub in Africa, particularly with initiatives like the International Sports Classics series.
Governor Sanwo-Olu also noted Oshodi’s remarkable influence in the table tennis community, saying, “We are thrilled that Mr. Oshodi has consistently brought recognition to Lagos and Nigeria through his outstanding accomplishments both on the continent and internationally. In 2021, he emerged as a prominent figure in global table tennis, being elected as the Executive Vice President of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) and the Deputy President of ATTF. We are confident that his election will benefit table tennis and sports overall, reinforcing Lagos’s status as a leading city in African table tennis.”
If elected, Oshodi would become the second Nigerian to take on this prestigious role, following former ATTF President Engr. Segun George, making him the only Nigerian currently leading a continental sports federation.
