To encourage competition and healthy rivalry among students are part of the reasons why Adeyemi Olumide Karunwi Foundation is staging a table tennis tournament among 25 schools in Lagos State.A board member of the foundation, Mrs. Adebamike Oloko told The Guardian that the foundation has been backing sports in schools and this is another way to help the government to unearth talents in the game as well as promote sporting activities in public schools.'The foundation started three decades ago and it has been encouraging sports and education among the less-privileged because the welfare of the youths is one of the objectives why the foundation was set up by our grandfather, the late Adeyemi Olumide Karunwi. In the past we had sponsored sports like volleyball, hockey, badminton and handball while we have been involved in sponsorship of inter-house sports competitions in 34 public schools in Lagos. This we are doing to support especially the less privileged,' she said.Oloko added: 'We decided to support table tennis in schools at this point in time because we felt the sport is very common in the state and at a time when the state is preparing for the National Sports Festival, it is apt to help in discovering talents for the state. We are not going to stop on table tennis, we will also support other sports because we believe sports is a tool that can be used to empower the youths and also engage them in meaningful activities in schools. Sports also aids them in their studies and that is why we are going to be using sports.'In terms of education, she said: 'We have been promoting the Yoruba legacy that every year, we give scholarships to students (male and female) that excel in Yoruba studies at the University of Lagos and this we have done on regular basis. We have been giving scholarships and this we believe will encourage the students to aim high in their studies. We are also helping widows and orphans in the society.'For this year's table tennis championship, she said 25 schools from the six education districts in the state have confirmed their participation for the maiden Adeyemi Karunwi Secondary Schools Table Tennis Tournament.
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