Maputo 2011 All Africa Games table tennis women’s doubles gold medallist, Cecilia Otu-Akpan, in this interview tells Idris Adesina why she is not playing professionally abroad and why she will not allow her son take up the sport
What is your view of Martin Adomeit, the new technical adviser of the table tennis team to the 2015 All Africa Games?
It is a good development to table tennis in Nigeria. He is an experienced man in the sport and I believe whatever he tells us will be for our good before, during and after the Games in Congo. Being a German, he is better informed and enlightened about the sport than some other coaches because they play better table tennis in Germany than here. In Congo, with him with our coaches, we will have enough confidence to face any opponent. For instance, if we are losing a game by some points, his pep-up talk and observance of the game along with that of the other coaches will help us catch up and win the game. We should win some good medals in Congo with Martin.
You have worked with coaches — both local and foreign. What is the difference?
There is not much difference between the two as I have observed. Our local coaches were once players of the game and they have a good knowledge of the game. They also went for trainings in the technical aspect of the sport. The difference I can spot is just that the foreign coaches are more up to date with the new skills, techniques and trends in the sport than our coaches here. Our coaches too can be that good if they are constantly exposed to the new techniques of the sport.
Nigeria was once dominant in the table tennis event of the AAG. But the Egyptians seem to be overtaking us. What do you think is wrong?
Nothing is really going wrong. It is just that the Egyptians are grooming younger players and these players have now improved and attained their peak in table tennis. The training and exposure that they have been given is now helping them catch up with us in every aspect. What we should do as Nigerians to become the topmost country once again is to have more camping for talented players in the country. We need more young boys and girls to come into the sport. Regular camping of about four to six weeks and two or three times in a year will bring up new players which the country is blessed with. These players will be motivated by what their seniors have achieved and will want to do better than us. We should not wait until all the senior players have declined in form before we start grooming again. The young ones would have matured by the time the senior ones are ready to exit the scene and thus it will be a continuum.
What are the challenges facing you as a national team player?
As a national team player, we face many challenges. First there is not adequate camping ahead of competitions. We also do not have enough competitions to develop ourselves and build up ranking points. Sponsorship for us is another challenge because the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation cannot do it all alone. If we really have sponsorship, we can attend more competitions and rake up the points and by that do well for the country. If we have more camping ahead of competitions, new talents for the team will be discovered and also seeing other players in the camp will serve as motivation to any player who may be facing some other challenges.
You and your doubles partner, Edem Offiong, won the women’s doubles title in the AAG in Maputo 2011. Do you see yourselves defending the title in Congo?
Defending the title we won in Congo won’t be easy. The sport has gone more technical and scientific from the last time we played in the AAG. The Egyptians and Congolese are the toughest we would probably meet in Congo but I believe with the hard work we are putting in and the technical input from our technical adviser, we should be able to defend it.
Do you think Nigeria’s lack of table tennis clubs where players can play professionally like the Egyptians and in Europe is affecting the sport negatively?
What I think is affecting us here is not the absence of table tennis clubs because as they have clubs abroad, we have the states sports councils here. What the clubs are doing for them in Egypt; the sports councils can do for us here. What we really need is an abundance of competitions for these states to compete in and get the best out of their players. More competitions will make the states more active and they will organise competitions too in their own states.
Youngsters like Alimot Ayinla only compete in a few competitions. Do you think they can compete with the Egyptians when the senior players leave?
The Egyptians groom their players when they are very young and they compete against the best in the world. Our young players are not that exposed as the Egyptians are because of inadequate competitions but I believe they will develop when the time comes.
How many more years do you see yourself playing the game?
I still see myself playing for the next couple of years; say five or six years. In table tennis, your age does not really matter. it is your strength and skills that keep you in the game for long. I will play for as long as my body allows.
Why are you not playing abroad like some of your counterparts?
I have said it a couple of times that most of the clubs abroad don’t really pay well enough for me to go there. Only a few pay handsomely and they are hard to get. Most clubs pay just enough to eat and not as much as you can save from. I can’t do that; working only to feed. I am okay with my stay at home working with the state sports council and grooming young players in my state, Cross River. I will soon go back to school and complete my education, then I can get a backup when I retire.
How did you come into the sport?
I started playing from a young age in my home state. I remember that I came up with Edem Offiong which is why there is a kind of synergy between us. Janet Effiom came up later. I also remember that we didn’t really have the support of our parents then but they grudgingly allowed us to play.
You are married with a son. Will you allow him play table tennis?
I won’t allow him play table tennis because for now the chance of making it in the sport is low. If you want to succeed as a male table tennis player, you have to come to Lagos. Since we are still based at home and not coming to Lagos anytime soon, it is easier and better if he takes up any other sport apart from table tennis.
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