Lawyers who participated at the just concluded Lawyers Table Tennis Open (Mfon Usoro Cup) have hailed the event as a remarkable initiative that will aid bonding among members of the bar.
Speaking at the finals of the tournament, winner of the male singles, Tunji Abdulhameed commended the organizers for the well thought out initiative which, according to him had become a veritable means of recreation for lawyers as well as an effective means of exercise.
“I’ve been a participant since this tournament commenced and I am delighted that the standard has continued to improve over the years. The initiative is especially laudable because it is creating an avenue for lawyers to bond while leveraging on the game of tennis. It is one of the most looked forward-to event in the calendar of Lawyers every year and We are thankful to the sponsors and organizers for putting it together.”
In the same vein, Titilayo Osagie, annual winner of the whose seven year reign as female champion came to an end following her defeat to Yetunde Martins at the finals said that described the competition as a fantastic while adding that it would help promote the game of Tennis amongst lawyers. In her words: “This competition is growing the profile of the game of tennis amongst lawyers. The sponsors have been doing quite good in keeping to their promises and we’re happy about that”.
In his remarks, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, and patron of the competition, Paul Usoro expressed delight at the spirit of sportsmanship exhibited by the participants.
In his words: “I am quite happy at the scenes here today, the spirit of sportsmanship exhibited here by all the Lawyers. Everyone is a winner,” he declared.
While congratulating the winners, Usoro also noted that the tournament was inspired by a vision to promote a culture of healthy living among lawyers using sports as a platform.
“In 2009, we saw a gap. We saw the need to create a platform for Lawyers to meet, relax and compete friendly away from the rigours of practice and we decided to come up with this competition. Our aim as always is to promote healthy living among Lawyers and we are delighted with the progress we have made,” he said.
In the men’s category, Tunji Abdulhameed retained the title he won last year while Titilayo Osagie relinquished her crown to first time winner, Yetunde Martins in a tense affair in the female category.
