Up and coming table tennis prodigy, Daniel Hassan Adeshina emerged tops in a miniature competition organized by the prefects of Will-B Excellence Secondary School, Ikotun, Lagos at Lekki Conservation Centre on Friday.
The four-player competition, which was part of the school’s Independence Day anniversary activities, saw Hassan beat off keen competition from his senior secondary one (JS1) classmates, Samuel Clifford, Chibuike Ohalehi and Michael Akinnifesi.
The quartet also combined together in a mini-football contest that was staged at the same venue right after the table tennis spree, which fetched the ping-pong winner N500 and justified his recent outings at Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.
Hassan, who also plays chess and picks his older brother, David, as his biggest inspiration, has been growing under the technical eyes and instructions of Coach Ope and Lawal, who are both leading tacticians of the ping-pong game in Lagos State Sports Commission.
However, after smiling broad during the price presentation done by one of Will-B Schools’ vice-principals, Mr Samuel Ademola, Hassan and his classmates were shocked by the most-unfancied of three squads in the football contest, which was won by Team C.
The team, led by a new SS2 student, Kelechi Obinna, also had Warris Oladejo, Moses Oyewumi and Seyi Olupitan, whose mother was one of four teachers present at the venue, to mentor and guide the delegation of 23 students for the Independence Day outing.
Obinna emerged the most valuable player, as he led his side to beat Team A with a 2-0 scoreline and settled for a goalless draw with Team B, which comprised Ayomide Adeyemi, Praise Olukayode, Eddy Miracle and the school’s new games prefect, Desmond Ojieh.
Team B drew 1-1 with Hassan’s side in the first game, with the crucial equalizer scored by petit Adeyemi just 10 seconds before the final whistle, after he earlier lost a penalty in the match, which lasted only ten minutes, as stipulated in regulations for all of the day’s games.
The winning team got N1,000 for their achievement, while N500 went to the runners-up, in a climax to the day’s activities that also saw the delegation participate in adventure climbing, gymnastic flips as well as games like chess, ludo and draughts, much to the delight of the school’s proprietor, Elder Williams Folorunsho Olaoye, who followed proceedings via phone.
The roll call of students that made the trip included the proprietor’s daughter, Tumise, alongside her fellow-JS1 mates, Ngozi Kanu, Uneidu Ojochu, Chukwura Precious and Oyewumi Moses, as well as Olupitan Seyi from JS3 and his younger sister, Darasimi, from the primary sector.
SS1 had the largest array, with Abibat Musiliu, Samuel Clifford, Chibuike Ohalehi, Oyewumi Esther, Hassan Daniel, Akinnifesi Michael and Moyinoluwa Olufemi, while SS2 provided Oladejo Warris, Eddy Miracle, Amadi Esther, Precious Philip, Kelechi Obinna and Mirabel Olupitan.
SS3 provided two of the school’s new prefects, Desmond Ojieh (games) and Adeyemi Ayomide (assistant social), as well as their former classmate, Praise Olukayode, who recently moved to another school but continues keeping in touch with his pals.
They jointly provided background work and coordination for the outing, which also had one of the teachers, Mr Basil Nwoye serving as the announcer of results for the two competitions that took place during the exciting spree that also saw the girls feature in mock volleyball in the expansive Family Park of the conservation centre that is sponsored by Chevron Oil Limited.
A cross-section of the kids admitted that they were totally thrilled as never before, not only with the sports activities, games, adventure and prizes but also with sightseeing they had of major landmarks, historical spots and edifices in Lagos as well as a sumptuous meal they had on the way back home at a local eatery near the headquarters of Nigeria’s only sports radio, Brila FM.
At the end of it all, the kids were left hilarious and highly excited, as they recounted tales of delight on their return to the school’s premises at Adejonwo Street, off Abogunloko, Ikotun, where the proprietor was patiently waiting for their return.
Hassan, who won all of his three matches to emerge tops in the table tennis event, surmised the experience thus: “We all had a wonderful time at Lekki Conservation Centre on Friday, October 1, which was Nigeria’s 61st Independence Day anniversary.
“It started with a lecture they gave us in the centre’s conference room, where we were given a short lesson about various animals and presented with educative books at gifts. We thank the conservation centre’s management for the way they received us.
“We then took a walk through the forest, which is like a swamp, but it is well maintained. We saw monkeys, peacock, turtles, birds and different kinds of trees. We wanted to climb the birdhouse but we could not, because it was raining.
“Then we got to the Family Park, and that’s where we all enjoyed the biggest type of fun that we never imagined possible before that day. We met many other people and families that came to have fun like us. We saw some expatriates that came from Europe and Asia.
“All of us were happy and we thank our prefects for making it possible. They are now planning a talent hunt in the school’s premises on October 14. It promises to be more fun for us all again. Thanks to God for making it a successful and safe outing for us all on Friday, October 1.”
