Akindoju tasks state associations on junior tennis championships
The president of Nigeria Tennis Federation, Dayo Akindoju has tasked state associations to ensure they host at least one national junior championship every year.
Speaking to Daily Trust, the president who doubles as chairman of FCT Tennis Association said he is encouraging zonal representatives to ensure that state associations develop their own modules that will enable them host national competitions.
He said state chairmen in the north-central zone met recently in Lafia where they agreed to host a junior championship in Jos between June-July.
“A week ago, we the chairmen in the north-central zone met in Lafia where we arrived at the decision to host a junior tournament in Jos, Plateau State between JuneJuly.
“We want to set the example to make the associations know that as a zone you can organise yourselves and run programmes.
“It is not everybody looking at the centre to bring food or activities to them. I have spoken with several state chairmen. I said there is no state in Nigeria that should not be able to run a national tournmament, at least a junior national tournament in a year,” he said.
Akindoju also explained that it does not take much to host a junior tennis championship as the federation will always give technical assistance.
He reiterated that state associations should stop looking in the direction of the federation for sponsorship.
“It does not take too much money. It takes only organisational abilities. The centre will support any association that comes up with concrete programme of what they want to do.
“Every state has somebody that loves tennis. Every state has somebody who can raise money to support tennis. They don’t have to be looking at the centre always for sponsorship,” he advised.