| By Godwin Ugbaka
President/Vice Chancellor, Professor Afolarin Olutunde Ojewole (1st right) makes a point as Senior Vice President, Academics Administration, Professor Jonathan Nwosu (2nd right), Vice President, Financial Administration, Professor Folorunso Akande, (middle), Vice President, Student Development, Prof Taiwo Williams (2nd left) and Chief of Staff to President/Vice Chancellor, Dr Joshua Suleiman look on while welcoming the NTTF delegation on a "thank you" visit to Babcock University on Tuesday.
NTTF Secretary General, Mr. Akanmu Olusoji (extreme right with clinched fist) and members of his delegation applauding Professor Afolarin Olutunde Ojewole (left) during their visit to Babcock University to say "thank you" on Tuesday.
Reigning Under 19 African Table Tennis Champion, Matthew Kuti (standing) expressing his words of appreciation as others watch during the NTTF delegation's "thank you" visit to Babcock University on Tuesday.
President/Vice Chancellor, Professor Afolarin Olutunde Ojewole (2nd left), Reigning Under 19 African Table Tennis Champion, Matthew Kuti (3rd left) and NTTF player, Rabiu Aishat Opeyemi (3rd right) displaying the trophies while NTTF Secretary General, Mr. Akanmu Olusoji (1st right), NTTF National Coach, Mr. Idowu Ayodele-Eletu, (2nd right), with other NTTF players look on during the NTTF delegation's "thank you" visit to Babcock University on Tuesday.
The Nigeria Table Tennis Federation, NTTF, returned to Babcock University on Tuesday to present medals and trophies won by athletes who camped at the institution for three weeks ahead of international championships in Ghana and Gambia.
Led by the Secretary General, Mr. Akanmu Olusoji, the delegation included national coach, Mr. Idowu Ayodele and four players — Rabiu Opeyemi, Fabunmi Mathew, Mathew Kuti and Atunusa Quadri.
They said the visit was to say “thank you” to Babcock for hosting the team.
Receiving them in his boardroom with other principal officers, President/Vice Chancellor, Professor Afolarin Olutunde Ojewole, said while Babcock is not primarily a sports institution, it nurtures talents and believes in training “the mind, the hands, and the heart.”
“For the first time in a long time, we provided a home for a few weeks for teenagers being prepared for championship. And they won. They won many medals. Such a performance is traceable to what God did in Babcock University. We just don't talk about raising champions. We raise champions in this place,” he said.
Professor Ojewole urged the players to combine sports with academics through Babcock University Distance E-Learning. “Whether you're in Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, Europe or Canada, you can go to school at your pace. It's not too expensive, it's very possible,” he said, citing African champion Funke Oshonaike who earned a BSc in Nursing Science later in life, and NBA star Shaquille O’Neal who pursued degrees and a PhD after his sporting career.
Earlier, Mr. Olusoji, who stood in for the Federation President, Dr. Adesoji Tayo, thanked the Vice Chancellor whom he described as “an academia, a parent and a man of God.”
He echoed the call for education, noting that “sport has an expired age” and certificates will sustain athletes after retirement.
Coach Ayodele described the camping as “the greatest performance by all time” and credited Babcock’s environment, food and discipline. “This institution is part of the success story,” he said.
At the African Championship in Ghana, Nigeria won 13 medals — 2 gold, 3 silver and 8 bronze. At the African Cup two days later, the team won 4 medals — 1 gold, 1 silver and 2 bronze.
Matthew Kuti dethroned the African Under-19 Champion from Tunisia at the African Cup event.
“I feel good and very happy that I won,” Kuti said. “Babcock is a very good environment. There is discipline, there is everything. I will try my best next year to defend it.”
The highlight was the formal presentation of medals and trophies to Professor Ojewole.