In collaboration with the Cross River State Sports Commission and Nigeria Table Tennis Federation, the Offiong Edem’s Foundation has rolled out Plans to hold a three-day competition for children between the ages of eight and fourteen.
The mini tournament which is the 3rd edition in Calabar the capital of Cross River, south south Nigeria is slated from Thursday the 1st of June to Saturday the 3rd of June 2023.
Truth Live News reports that the registration for interested participants of the mini table tennis tournament is free.
Unveiling the plans for the tournament, the professional table Tennis player and organizer Offiong Edem, said she decided to make it big this time because she wants other states to benefit from the little she was going to share with the children.
Edem, who revealed this in an interview with the Journalists said the essence is to bring all these children together to play and enjoy themselves, win prizes of money and get training equipment.
“I know how difficult to get these things but I took upon myself to gather all these equipment to share with them and also bring all of them to play and share with their friends.” She said.
The international player also said that about five states including Abia, Anambra, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom and Cross River have been invited to participate in the tournament.
According to her, the first runner-up will go home with N40,000 including consolation prizes for others.
Edem, said from each state she had invited three boys and three girls saying that she has about 70-80 thousand shoes and T-shirts to share with them.
“I do the program every year because I don’t want the program to die in Cross River State,” the number one table Tennis player in Nigeria, Four times Olympian and six times African champion said so far, she has spent over N1million to organize the tournament.