Nigeria's home-based table tennis stars, Fatimah Bello and Abosede Odusanya have called on table tennis authorities in the country to believe in them and give them a chance to represent the country in international competitions.

They made the call in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Lagos, the sequel to their scintillating performances at the 2022 International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) competitions.

The competition was tagged “Festivals of Table Tennis.”

Bello expressed her readiness to be the next big table tennis star from Nigeria.

The athlete noted that she was getting prepared to step into the shoes of Nigeria’s great female table tennis stars such as Bose Kafo and Funke Oshonaike if given the chance.

“I don’t think there is that wide difference between us and the foreign-based players. We can as well beat them, and I have done that before, it is not something new."

“We need the federation and the people at the helm to believe in us, we can do it like the foreign-based. We only need more exposure to international competitions."

“If we are not presented for the qualifiers for big events like the All Africa Games and the Olympics, how will they know our potential?"

“We need to attend trials because we are ready to give our best as well, to ensure that we win medals for Nigeria,” she said.

Odusanya, on her part, stated that she had the mindset to be at the Olympics anytime soon, adding that she had a mind of winning her games.

“I can beat any top-rated player in Africa, but most times, we are not considered good enough to play at the international events, and I do ask how they can test our abilities."

“Olympic participation has been my dream, but we are not involved in Olympic qualifiers, so, our abilities are not tested. Our federation only concentrates on some particular set of players."

“If we have the same opportunities as the foreign-based players, we will perform better, and I am ready for that challenge if given the opportunity, especially at the Olympics,” she said.

Nigeria had hosted a weeklong three separate ITTF tournaments tagged: “Festival of Table Tennis” at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall, Teslim Balogun Stadium, and Surulere.

The first tournament, World Championships Regional Qualification, had eight West African countries.

The female singles were won by Nigeria’s Fatimah Bello, who defeated her counterpart, Abosede Odusanya, at the finals.

The second tournament, ITTF African Club Championships was also won by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) comprising the trio of Nigeria’s Bello, Halimat Hussein, and Esther Oribamise.

The NSDC team defeated their counterparts, Ocean Front, consisting of the trio of Odusanya, Ajoke Ojomu, and Sukurat Aiyelabegan in the finals 3-2.

Things got better for Bello who, against all odds, breathed into the finals of the African Cup Championships for the first time in her career.

She defeated great African table tennis stars such as number one ranked Offiong Edem.

The unseeded player further caused a stir when she overpowered Africa’s number one and tournament’s defending champions, Mariam Alhodaby of Egypt, in the semi-finals.

Bello, however, succumbed to the fiery 14-year-old Egyptian table tennis prodigy, Hana Goda, at the finals.