By Abuchi Nnopuechi
The Onitsha tennis community witnessed a first of its kind tournament at the Estate Sports Club in the Bridgehead Housing Estate in Onitsha on the 14th and 15th of March, 2026. Featuring all the tennis clubs in Onitsha and its environs, it saw four players from each club locking horns in an American doubles format. The grand finale featured presidential and veteran matches followed by the presentation of prizes to the deserving winners.
Addressing the mammoth crowd that spectated the tournament, the sole sponsor Chief Ignatius Agbalizu the Chief Executive Officer of IGAB Industrial Company Ltd said he was primarily moved to stage the event to boost inter-club cooperation in the locality. A veteran of the sport himself, he pledged to make it an annual event henceforth God willing.
Speaking after the presentation of prizes to the worthy winners, Chief Obi Chimereze the representative of the Southeast region at the Nigerian Tennis Federation highlighted the tourney as another major boost for the sport in the region. According to him, apart from the annual inter-club ENIC tournament for non-circuit players, it will keep tennis veterans in the region well groomed all the time.
To make their calling whole, he called on all the presidents of the participating clubs there present to evolve grassroots plans that’ll see that the sport survives them. A plan he said was already in progress in some of the clubs.
Speaking earlier, the president of the host club Chief (Dr) Uchenna Izunwanne poured accolades on the tournament host Chief Agbalizu for his now recidivist philanthropy in the host club where he is already a Grand Patron on account of his laudable exploits. Pledging to keep backing him always in his endeavours this wise, Chief Izunwanne urged him never to relent in his efforts.
In his brief remarks the traditional ruler of the host club Isidore Igwe Uzoatu confirmed all the positive auguries that preceded the tournament. Affirming that the gods all supported the event, he joined in the call for the strive towards the perpetuation of the tournament.
In their own comments, all the other club presidents including Chiefs Dan Okafor of Onitsha Sports Club and Anaeto Ajulufo of Country Club pledged to up the ante after this spur by Chief Agbalizu. As though in one voice, they all promised to make their members available for the next year’s event when it dawns.
The committee that organized the tournament thankfully promised to make next year’s event better. Speaking on their behalf, Chief Evergreen Ezenwa pledged to see to it that the light lit by the host can only be enkindled some more next time around.
Asked why they adopted the no-club format in the matches, he explained that it was because such partisan affiliations in the past had seen sectarianism overshadowing the convivial essence of the event.
A view upheld by the two match commissioners of the tournament. According to one of them Chief Chinedu Agusiobo the tournament was long in coming and has come to stay, hinting at the need to avoid all elements that’ll make for unnecessary rancour.
Helping him out, his colleague Chief Patrick Aniekwe, a patron of the host club opined that the aim of the meet, as well as all geriatric tennis, was to keep body and soul together, hence the need to avoid aspects that’ll encourage any trace of misunderstanding.
Any wonder the rapturous applause that heralded the announcement of the winners. While Ejike Akpu. of Country Club beat all-comers with 23 of the available 25 points. Ikenna Chkwueloka made the host club proud with 22 points to claim the second slot. Emeka Ehirim of Rojenny and Ugochukwu Onyia of People’s Club who tied at 21 points each were to emerge third and fourth respectively after a ballot while Chukwuma Uba of the host club took the fifth position with 22 points.
So much was the celebration that but for the demise of the Monday sit-at-home in Onitsha, the ensuing celebration would have lingered till midnight.
Nnopuechi is a veteran Sportswriter based in Onitsha, Anambra State
