Table tennis unites Cameroonian refugees and host community in Ogoja

by Cornelius Ehimiaghe

World Table Tennis Day (WTTD) is a one-day global event held annually on 23 April. This event is supported by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) to raise awareness and promote the development of table tennis at the grassroots level. As part of this effort, the ITTF meticulously selected 30 promoters from five continents to host the 2025 WTTD events in their local communities.

One of the most striking aspects of the 2025 WTTD celebration in Nigeria is that the event was promoted by a Cameroonian refugee. Although Nigeria and Cameroon have a long history of being sports rivals, these differences were set aside to celebrate the unifying power of sport. As a result, Solange Ngonda Tibesa (the WTTD 2025 promoter), members of the Refugee Organisations Network (RON), representatives of the Ogoja community, relevant community-based organizations (CBOs), government agency representatives, the CSED Initiative, and UNHCR representatives organized a grand event that truly reflected unity in diversity. Beyond showcasing table tennis skills, the culture and hospitality of both Nigeria and Cameroon were proudly displayed for over one thousand attendees to enjoy.

As of February 2023, there were 86,000 registered Cameroonian refugees living in Nigeria. About a quarter of these refugees reside in Cross River State, which shares a border with Cameroon. Given the importance of sports in bringing people together and promoting the physical health and emotional well-being of refugees, relevant authorities and partner agencies must increase efforts to design and implement programs that harness the goodwill of sports to empower Cameroonian refugees. These initiatives should also promote unity between the Cameroonian refugee population and the indigenous people of Ogoja.