Interview of Tajudeen Agunbiade (Nigeria) made in July 2008 by e-mail.

When and how did you discover table tennis?

I started playing table tennis in a local suburb called (Lawanson) in Surulere local government of Lagos state. Table tennis is a street game that everyone plays. There was a day, I was picked on the street and taking to national stadium by an admirer. Couple of years after, things started changing, attending high class tournament and winning laurels. That was how it all began. I thank god that a local boy is now a world class player.

What are your best memories in TT? And optionally the worst ones?

My best memories was when I won two Paralympic gold medals in Sydney. Actually I was thinking of winning medals miraculously I found myself in lime light.

My worst memory was when I couldn’t participate in Athens games.

Did you feel a change in recognition after you won your 2 gold in Sydney?

Yes, I felt a change. I was called upon to light up national sports festival games that comprise all sport abled and disabled. I was amazed because it was the first time a disabled person is doing this.

Do you think that disabled sport can change the image of disabled people in society?

Disabled sport can bring a change to the entire region if awareness program were put in place.
For example disabled people in northern part of nigeria don’t go alms begging again because they were reintegrated into sport.

This region needs a lot of awareness programs from the international bodies and it can also bring peace to volatile areas in Africa as a whole.

Beijing will be your second participation to Paralympic Games. In Sydney you got a wild card and won 2 gold medals. This time in Beijing, it’s your partner Olufemi Alabi that got a wild card, so what are your objectives?

I really can’t say what is going to happen: table tennis is unpredictable.

However, people should expect a tough match against Nigeria because we are training very hard twice daily, though things are not going on well here in terms of training equipment but I won’t let that bring me down psychologically.

Who will be your toughest opponents in Beijing?

It’s been long time since I attended tournaments outside Africa, so I can’t say who is going to be tough or not.

Is there something special about playing in China?

Everybody wants to play in the home of table tennis.

Are you impacted by the V.O.C glue banning?

Not at all

Since your beginning, do you think Para TT has evolved?

Para table tennis is a well organized institution.

However we find it very hard to attend Para TT sanctioned tournaments due to lack of money.
Also we go through hell in securing traveling visas from foreign embassies in Nigeria.
It is frustrating not attending tournament for decades.

How is organized disabled TT in Nigeria?

At the moment disabled table tennis is run differently from the abled bodied.

What do you when you're not playing TT?

What I do actually is to play table tennis and attend tournaments. I get monthly salary for playing table tennis from Ogun state sports council. They employ me to participate in all abled-bodied and disabled tournaments locally.

When I don’t play, I read newspaper and play TV games.

Is there a champion (not necessarily in table tennis) that you admire or is an inspiration for you?

Segun Toriola (abled bodied table tennis player) from Nigeria.

Thanks,
Gaël Marziou