Nigeria can’t win table tennis gold in Olympics — Okenla-Ojeaga

Former Nigerian table tennis star, Toyin Okenla-Ojeaga

Former Nigerian table tennis star, Toyin Okenla-Ojeaga, now based in the US, tells Kazeem Busari about her career, the need for regular competitions and her stance on a foreign coach for the national team

Are you from Lagos or Edo State ?

I’m Yoruba. Not originally from Lagos; my mother is from Ondo State and my father is from Ogun State . It was through my studies in the former Bendel State that I met my husband.

 How did you get a scholarship from Bendel State?

The only thing I did was to play table tennis. Shortly before the National Sports Festival, I was invited to Benin City and was offered the scholarship. I took it without hesitation because I had always been interested in education.

 Was the scholarship the reason you represented Bendel instead of Ogun or Lagos ?

Yes. Bendel State saw the potential in me and they took the opportunity. I had approached an official of Ogun State for such opportunity but nothing came out of it. When the opportunity eventually came, it was too late because I was already settling down in Benin.

 Would you say table tennis is part of you, or you’re part of table tennis?

I’ll say I’m part of table tennis. I chose to play the sport, it didn’t choose me. I love the game. I used to play with my older brother when I was younger. He was the one that taught me the sport. He taught me some other sports too. I used to swim, practise weightlifting and box; I was a good boxer but I never went for a competition. Then it was strange to see a woman in boxing, so I didn’t make much of it.

 How old were you when you started these?

I was 15 and my brother was eight years older than I was. He was my role model. Whenever he was training with the punching bag, he would have me at the other end of the bag, restraining it for him. He would do the same for me when it was my turn to jab on the bag. He made my dumbbell and encouraged me in weightlifting. It was he who introduced me to table tennis when we started playing on soakaway slabs in our backyard. When I improved a bit, he took me to Rowe Park to train. While he was training in boxing, I would head to the table tennis section. The coaches were impressed on the first day of my training, and that was how they took interest in me. At the same time, the swimming coaches saw potential in me and they wanted me in the sport.

 Who was the coach that convinced you to take table tennis?

That was Yomi Haastrup. He tried a lot to make me a better player at such a young age, but I was stubborn. I was a tomboy and I associated more with boys. I never took sports serious back then; I just wanted to play. Our parents wanted us to concentrate more on education because there was a belief that if you practise sports, you would not be able to go to school. Whenever I was missing at home to be at the sports centre, my brother would lie on my behalf that I was attending an extramural class. My luck ran out one day when my dad saw my name in the newspapers as contestant at that year’s Asoju Oba table tennis competition. I got home late that day, and when he asked where I was coming from, my brother rose to my defence and lied again that we were both coming from the class. My dad wasn’t convinced but he didn’t scold us that night. The second day, he saw the name again in the papers, he was also convinced that it was me he saw on the television during the evening news. When he questioned us again, I couldn’t deny that I was there. He made me promise that I wouldn’t go there again, that I’m a woman and shouldn’t be involved in sports. But I wanted to play. I involved other family members who pleaded with him, and I promised to take education serious. It was my first major competition and I finished with silver and bronze medals.

 There were rivalries in your time. You and Nimota Shittu, for example, were top players back then…

Nimota and I grew up in the same neighbourhood, around Apapa Road. She was one of the best. At one point, we started playing together. I had to drag her to Rowe Park for better training. Tina Uwajei was my partner in the women’s doubles. She also moved from Lagos to Bendel State ; she was there before me. I believe she was the one that convinced them to recruit me.

 During the period you played, did you ever think any of you would make money in sports?

Never. Our main goal at that time was to have fun. I just wanted to play and socialise. I used to be a shy person but sports gave me the platform to interact with people and it helped my confidence. Whenever I faced any player, be it male or female, I always had the confidence I could beat the person. I didn’t see male players as domineering, I could take on anyone.

 Betting was rampant in table tennis back then. Were you involved in this?

No way. I knew about it but I hated it. I didn’t bet in my games but I couldn’t stop anyone who would want to bet on me. I could bet verbally but no money was involved.

 Did you continue playing when you moved to the USA ?

No. I thought I had to face my education and play down on sports. It wasn’t that I couldn’t play, but I was determined to get the best of education, without distraction, as I promised my dad. I’ve never played table tennis since the late 1980s, but there was a time I played for recreation during a boat cruise in the US. The last time I held a bat to play was last December when a friend challenged me to play in Lagos.

 Did you find it difficult to play?

Not really. The thing is, if you have the skill, you have it. You may not be as accurate as you used to but you can always hit your strokes after a little practice.

Table tennis was more popular back in the 80s when you played. Why do you think its popularity is fading?

It’s unfortunate that the sport is not as popular as it was in those days. But it’s not just table tennis. Some other sports were doing well in that period but they’re not growing again. I think Nigeria deliberately neglected sports development when it mattered most. That’s why we’re finding it difficult to get back to the top in these sports. Even the popularity of football has gone down from what it used to be. Gone are the days when Enugu Rangers, Bendel Insurance, Stationery Stores and Shooting Stars attracted fans to the stadium. Other sports went down the same way. I hope and pray that corporate sponsorship will get these sports back into what they used to be. This is one of the reasons why I’m sponsoring a table tennis competition. We have to realise that sports can build our nation by investing in it. We used to be the best at the Commonwealth Games in table tennis but this has changed; we don’t have the equipment and the top players.

We still have the likes of Segun Toriola and Funke Oshonaike as some of our best players…

That’s true, but Toriola has been on the stage for over 30 years. He has been there before I left the country. How many players have we trained to take over from Toriola?

 Could the decline in table tennis be attributed to lack of equipment?

Lack of equipment is part of it. But the real reason is that publicity has dropped for the sport. Sponsors will need to come in as it was before to encourage more players, and the growth of the game. My gain in sponsoring table tennis is to see the youths rise to become international champions. I want to be part of their success story. For corporate organisations, their gains will be the mileage in promoting their products and services.

 Table tennis teams were often tutored by male coaches. Was there any case of sexual harassment in your time?

There is none that I know about. I related with my coaches well. We were like one family in the sport so it was uncalled for to suspect or accuse anyone of such act. I don’t know of any case. There could be, but I was not aware of it. I was a tomboy then, I just played my game and left for home.

 In spite of your skills and experience, you hardly represented Nigeria at the global stage …

At that time, I just wanted to play and enjoy myself. I tried not to let my state down at national tournaments and I featured well for my club. I represented Nigeria at the Open Tournament which Nigeria hosted in the mid-80s. I was ranked number seven at a young age but before I could reach the peak in the sport, I moved to the US . To say the truth, I am glad I did because I was able to achieve my dream.

 Are you saying you don’t regret not having an Olympic medal in your kitty?

No Nigerian can win an Olympic gold medal in table tennis. It’s going to be very difficult because of the Chinese and the other Asian teams. It would be a miracle if we won. I could have fought for an African medal but the All-Africa Games had already gone before I reached my peak. I don’t regret not winning an Olympic or Commonwealth Games medal.

 What can we do to win at the Olympics?

We must have the right tools, the best coaches and the right mentality at the games. There must be regular competitions and sponsors must come in. I believe in the grass-roots, not the older generation. We can nurture these young players to become the best.

 Do you think we need foreign coaches?

I don’t believe in foreign coaches. I don’t want to sound biased, but I believe Nigerian coaches can become better if they get the right training. We can take our coaches to Europe for courses to improve them. This will be better and cheaper than having Europeans train our players. There are former Nigeria players living in Europe; we can bring them back and employ them to coach our teams.