Popular Ibadan based fuji act, Taye Akande Adebisi popularly known as Currency has emerged winner in the celebrity category of the maiden Media Table Tennis Competition that is tagged: Solat Media Table Tennis Challenge while Ike Yusuf of YESMA Radio defeated other journalists to become champion.
‘Currency’ defeated the CEO of Solat Telecoms Alh. Ganiyu Hamed with 2-1 set in the best of three game format in the celebrity category of the event while Ike Yusuf saw off Sunday Daramola of Pacesetternews.com.ng in a keenly contested finals decided at Pioneer Leisure Sports Center, Jericho, Ibadan.
Top media practitioners in Oyo State which includes: Akeem Abass of News Agency of Nigeria, Babatunde Saheed popularly known as Mr. Sports of Fresh FM, Olawale Hamzat of Splash FM, Raji Adebayo of Daily Independent Newspaper, the secretary of Oyo NUJ Sola Oladapo, Paul Alasiri of 32FM among others participated in the table tennis competition designed as part of activities marking 2021 Easter celebration.
The sponsor of the event, Alh. Ganiyu Hamed in his remark during the closing ceremony said his firm was doing tourney as a way of giving back to the society, which is part of their corporate social responsibility (CSR) policy.
He added that “We believe the game of table-tennis will be an ideal way for the ever-busy media practitioners to unwind and get rid of tensions and socialize with one-another during this festive period because of the cumbersome nature of their job”.
Also speaking, the Chairman Oyo State Chapter of Nigeria Union of Journalist (NUJ) Comrade Demola Babalola lauded the management of Solat Telecoms for associating with media practitioners in the State, while urging other corporate outfits in the state to emulate the good gesture of Solat towards showing compassion to media practitioners.
The Chairman of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Oyo State Chapter, Comrade Niyi Alebiosu also thanked Solat and called on corporate bodies and well meaning individuals to support Oyo SWAN in promoting grassroots sports development while commending Ayegbajeje Media Concept, the organizer of the event for lofty idea and good execution.
The Winner of the tourney got 40inche plasma television while the runners-up was presented with 5KG washing machine and second runners-up received a prize of Samsung mobile phone worth 85 thousand naira. The fourth placed player, Sola Oladapo and the most distinguished player of the tournament Paul Alasiri received a cash prize of 20 thousand naira respectively.
