The 2026 O'jez Ladder table tennis tournament began Wednesday at the Ikeja Country Club, with more than 300 members competing across multiple categories. The event, restricted to the club's table tennis section members, aims to determine the top 20 players in the club's ranking system. Akeem Lekan Alli-Balogun, secretary of the section, confirmed a record number of entries, forcing the tournament to extend by two weeks. He emphasized the prestige associated with making the top 20, calling it a major incentive for participants. The competition is divided into leagues based on skill and age, including League One for top-rated players, League Two for moderate players, and separate categories for veterans aged 55–65 and super veterans aged 65–80. Joseph Odobeatu, chairman and managing director of O'jez Entertainment Group, who has sponsored the tournament for several years, described it as a contribution to sports development in Nigeria. A former Ikeja Country Club representative with multiple trophies to his name, Odobeatu expressed personal excitement at seeing members test their limits. The tournament will conclude with its grand finale on 30 April.
Over 300 entries in a club-only table tennis event suggest more is at stake than just internal rankings. The extension of the tournament by two weeks highlights its growing scale, even within a closed membership. No Nigerian or African player was specifically featured in the event details.
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