NTTF remembers former coach Obisanya

The Nigeria Table Tennis Federation is in mourning for former national coach Babatunde Obisanya. He passed away on Tuesday, October 6, after a long illness at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital. He was 77 years old.

Obisanya started as a player before he became a national coach. In a statement, the federation’s President, Adesoji Tayo, described him as a major figure who pushed table tennis forward in Nigeria and Africa.

“It is sad to hear of the passing of one of Nigeria’s longest-serving players and coaches, Babatunde Obisanya, whose immense contribution to the sport cannot be overstated,” Tayo said.

“Even after he retired in 2010, Coach Obisanya gave helpful advice to the federation. He was always there at national competitions, offering his support and sharing his rich experience. He had a deep love for table tennis and spoke up whenever he saw problems. He was a father figure to many players, and he will be greatly missed by the entire table tennis family in Nigeria and Africa.”

Obisanya made history in 1968 when he became the first men’s singles champion of the Asoju Oba Cup. This competition was sponsored by the late Chief Molade Okoya-Thomas. It started in Lagos with 20 men and 12 women in the first edition. In 1976, Obisanya shared the Nigeria Sportsman of The Year award with athletics star Modupe Osikoya after many successes at home and abroad.

He represented Nigeria at the African Games, the African Championships, and the World Championships. He was one of Nigeria’s top international players in the 1970s. The federation mentioned that during the “Ping Pong Diplomacy” in 1975, he and Lateef Sunmola reached the finals of a big tournament, being the only non-Asian pair to do so at that level.

After he stopped playing, Obisanya became the head coach of the national team from 1976 to 2010. During that time, he trained some of Africa’s best players, including Nigerian legend Segun Toriola.

He stayed active in sports management after leaving the coaching role. He chaired the Adegboyega Efunkoya National U-15 Table Tennis Championship and worked hard to mix education with youth sports development.

Obisanya was also known for his strong views against what he saw as the neglect of table tennis and other sports in favor of football.