Atanda Musa was one of the stars that made Nigeria the biggest table tennis nation in the 1970s and up the early 2000s. That was when Nigeria held sway as the best table tennis playing nation in the continent and the Commonwealth.
A serial winner of the Asoju Oba Cup, whose epic battles with Yomi Bankole and Sunday Eboh, among others, Musa was an inspiration to many young players in his days, with his exploits on the table luring many youngsters to the ping pong game.
Now based in the United States, Musa has been among eminent Nigerians working round the clock to see how the country can regain its place among the best table tennis playing nations of the world.
Every year, the Olympian gathers the best of the country’s youngsters to exhibit their talents and fight for honours at the just satisfied with his lone championship: He wants those who can, to emulate him and the organisers of the yearly Adegboyega Efunkoya National Cadet Table Tennis Championships, among others, in providing avenues for the younger generation to hone their skills.
Speaking on his vision for the game at the Lagos Country Club, Ikeja, where this year’s Atanda Musa U-15 Championship was held last week, Musa, a 20-year veteran at JPMorgan Chase in the U.S., said that he was inspired by American athletes to come home and give back to the society.
He said that it had always been his dream to help nurture future champions for the country, adding that living in the United States opened his vision to what could be achieved with the ‘little’ resources at his disposal.
“When we first thought of doing a competition for future stars, I asked my wife, ‘Why not do that here? And she said, ‘Go for it’.
“This led to the Atanda Musa Table Tennis Tournament, now in its second year. It is a self-funded championship we began with N5 million as the prize money, but we increased it the second edition to N10 million.
“The event attracts top young players from the Efunkoya tournament, whom we provide with rackets, school bags, books, and the winner gets N500,000.”
Musa said that one thing he has noticed is that there are many talents in Nigeria waiting to be discovered and given opportunity to grow their talents.
“These kids have serious talent. They just need support to stay off the streets,” he said. Thrilled by the impact the tournament is already making on some of the children, Musa said: “This year’s players are way better than those of last year because they now have more competitions to hone their skills,” Musa notes with pride. He hopes to continue hosting it every year and keeping youths engaged in a country where opportunities are limited.
Beyond prizes, the Atanda Musa tournament also ensures that every participant leaves the venue with school supplies for the back-to-school season. “It’s not about the money,” he insists. “It’s about giving these kids a shot in better life.”
Although he is privileged to work with the country’s emerging talents every year, Musa feels frustrated that Nigerian table tennis, once the pride of Africa, has fallen behind Egypt due to lack of support and investment.
“In my days, coaches gave us confidence to face anyone,” he recalls. Today, he sees Nigeria’s top players such as Aruna Quadri struggling without adequate backing.
“We watched Aruna win in Qatar,” Musa says, shaking his head. “Where’s the government?” He regrets that the past military regimes balanced sports funding to today’s politicians, whose focus is only on football. “They pump millions into football but forget other sports that have the potential to bring honour to our country,” he laments.
Musa wants the emerging talents to learn from his journey, saying that discipline, which he describes as the key to his success at JP Morgan, should be their mantra.
“Be disciplined. Don’t copy others. Stay true,” he said. On the motive for the U-15 tournament, Musa said that it is not just about hosting table tennis matches. Rather, he believes that the experience he acquired while coaching in Saudi Arabia and Qatar, where he nurtured youth players, has shown that a country with a talented youth population like Nigeria can stand on the same pedestal with the giants of the game if the youths are given the right direction.
From a champion who fought for medals and cars, Musa is now a mentor investing his own resources to spark a table tennis revival. His tournament isn’t just about winners, it’s about giving every kid a chance to shine, proving that with discipline, passion, and a paddle, Nigeria’s youth can reclaim the sport’s glory days.
