Ayoola siblings bedazzle at Efunkoya U-15 T’Tennis  Tourney

August 18, 2025 by Our Reporter

• By Kareem Yusuf

In a stunning display of talent and determination, the Ayoola brothers, Usman and Umar, from Aruna Sports Club defied expectations to reach the final of the Boys’ Singles at the 6th  Adegboyega Efunkoya U-15 Table Tennis Tournament held at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall, Teslim Balogun Stadium.

Few anticipated the Ayoola brothers would advance beyond the group stage but they battled their way through the competition to set up a thrilling all-family final.

The grand finale, witnessed by the Deputy Governor of Osun State, Kola Adewusi, and members of the Efunkoya Sports Foundation, delivered an electrifying match that captivated the audience.

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From the outset, Umar sought to dominate the game, but Usman responded with elevated intensity. He clinched the first two tightly contested sets 11-9 and 11-7. Umar bounced back to take the third set 11-4, but Usman sealed his victory in the fourth set with an 11-8 win, completing a 3-1 triumph to emerge as the 2025 champion.

The tournament, organised by the Efunkoya Sports Foundation in collaboration with the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF), aims to discover young talents and uphold the legacy of the late Dr. Adegboyega Efunkoya, who championed the integration of sports and education.

In the girls’ category, Khadijat Musa of Osun State claimed the title after defeating Chinenya Okafor of Abia State in the final.

Deputy Governor Adewusi commended the organisers for consistently honouring Dr. Efunkoya’s legacy through the annual tournament.

He also urged the foundation to consider rotating the event across different states, with Osun expressing readiness to host the next edition.

Tournament referee John Peters described this year’s edition as the most competitive yet.

 “This sixth edition has been the most fiercely contested. Every player gave their best. We had very young participants, including Abdulateef Rabiu, born in 2018, and Lajorin Fisayo, born in 2017,” Peters said. “ A major highlight was the Ayoola brothers’ final—sons of a distinguished coach—with sisters who are also top-performing players.”

 “ The presence of the Deputy Governor added prestige to the closing ceremony. From what I’ve seen, the future of table tennis in Nigeria is bright if these young talents are properly nurtured,” Peters added.