For table tennis enthusiasts, the ‘70s and ‘80s were the height of ping pong sport in Nigeria in terms of followership and competitiveness, and the rivalry between the players was so fierce then. People like Kasali Lasisi, Sunday Eboh, Yomi Bankole, Francis Sule, Titus Omotara were some of those that ruled men’s table tennis at that era. However, one name stood above others and it was the 10-time African champion, Atanda Musa, who stood like a colossus. Indeed, one moment in his career which he would never forget in a hurry was the 1985 final of the Asoju Oba Cup, where he matched up with arch rival, Bankole, and the prize at stake was a winner-takes-all brand-new Peugeot 504, which was unprecedented in the history of the game at that time. He came from two sets down to win 3-2. “As part of my preparation for the competition, I did not have sex in three months,” Musa tells Kunle Adewale.

Inspired by what he saw American footballers, basketballers and other athletes do – going to their community to give back to the less privileged, Atanda Musa decided to return to Nigeria and start the Atanda Musa U-15 Invitational Tournament.

“At a time in the United States I saw basketballer, baseballer and footballer returning to their local government to donate turkey to the locals during Thanksgiving. Some donating as much as 20,000 turkeys. I asked my friend what they are doing and he said “that is the meaning of giving back”. From that moment I decided on what to give back to my society back home, which was what gave birth to Atanda Musa U-15 Invitational Tournament. “I want to ensure this tournament remains a permanent feature in the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) calendar. I am excited about the quality of talents we’ve seen, and we will keep improving the competition. My pledge is to keep hosting it annually and to make it even bigger, with more players breaking into the national limelight,” Mansa Musa, as he was called in some circles expressed.

One moment in Musa’s career that he would never forget in a hurry was inside the Sports Hall of the National Stadium, Surulere, in 1985, in the final of the Asoju Oba Cup, and confronting him was his fiercest rival, Yomi Bankole, and the prize at stake was a brand-new Peugeot 504 for the ultimate winner.

“Playing against Yomi Bankole was like coming against a lion. I always train extra hard anytime I was to play against him. He was a fantastic player. If you are playing against him, you need extra energy. He was a talented player. I was not talented. Some people are naturally gifted. In football, players like Jay Jay Okocha are naturally gifted, that is why he dribbles effortlessly. Bankole was like that. As part of my preparation for the 1985 Asoju Oba table tennis competition I denied myself sex for three months.” (His wife who was beside him during the interview nodded in affirmation).

Asked whether he was overwhelmed by the prize at stake, he responded, “I was not overwhelmed because Chief Molade Okoya Thomas (sponsor of the tournament) told me that if I lose against Bankole he would get me another brand-new 504 Peugeot car, Razak Okoya Thomas also promised me the same thing. They just liked me naturally, probably because of my humility,” he said.

Interestingly, Musa came from two sets down to beat Bankole 3-2, in what still remains as the fiercest rivalry in Nigeria’s table tennis history and one of the most memorable finals in the history of Asoju Oba table tennis competition.

“Bankole and I took table tennis to a new height and after our retirement the sport had gone down,” Musa noted.

In spite of having had successful coaching careers in Saudi Arabia and Qatar, the two-time Olympian would not want to have anything to do with table tennis administration or coaching in Nigeria.

“When it comes to anything that has to do with politics, I don’t like to get myself involved. I was in Nigeria in February this year on the invitation of the Kwara State governor where a table tennis hall was named after me in appreciation of my exploits in the game, and I really appreciate the gesture. After which I was offered the chairmanship of Kwara State Table Tennis Association, but I turned it down because I don’t want to create enmity for myself. I would rather help the younger table tennis players in my own little way.

“I have been asked several times to come and coach in Nigeria after my exploit with Saudi Arabia and Qatar but I turned the several offers down. I told them I’ll think about it and up till now I’m still thinking about it. I can do that outside but not in Nigeria, because of the politics that is always associated with everything in our country.

“Over there, you do your job without interference. Before I became coach of Saudi Arabia, they were ranked 52 and by the time I was leaving after four years they were 32 in the world ranking, which was a big improvement. I also took the Saudi Arabian national team to the World Championship in Sweden,” the former Commonwealth Games champion expressed.

The ping pong Czar indeed attributed the nonexistence of rivalry in table tennis again as one of the reasons Nigeria and Africa’s number one player, Aruna Quadri has not been able to move above his present form.

“Quadri is too far above his contemporaries in Nigeria and therefore, nobody is challenging and driving him. Unlike in my days there were 20 players that we were in the same bracket, I was just lucky to be ranked number one. The rivalry was very intense and challenging that it was difficult for a player to win two tournaments in a row.

On how he got into playing table tennis, he said: “I was initially involved in playing football but because of the several injuries I sustained during playing, my dad, who was then working with AT & P Sapele, asked me to think of another sport that I would like to be involved in that won’t be causing me pains and injuries. That was how I opted for table tennis and my dad, who was himself a boxer, sanctioned it.”

The 1988 Olympian indeed believes that with people like Dr. Efunkoya still in the business of developing and promoting table tennis in Nigeria, the future of the game is bright. (THISDAY)