The Chairman of Cross River State Table Tennis Association, Rt. Hon. Orok Duke, PhD, has revealed plans to construct a world-class table tennis facility and athlete hostel in Calabar. The project aims to address the chronic infrastructure deficit and funding challenges that have long hindered the development of the sport in the state.
Speaking recently on the current state of the game, Duke expressed deep concern over the lack of training facilities and modern equipment, which he identified as major barriers to grooming young talent. He revealed that the decision to build a permanent facility arose from a strategic choice to invest in long-term infrastructure rather than short-term international training tours.
"We were talking about sending two girls and two boys to China. I looked at the costs and realized that the amount required to stay one month in China, we could use it to build a table tennis hostel," Duke stated. "I want to have a facility with at least one hostel that can take 20 beds. If it’s double bunk, then it is 40 athletes at a time. Without sequestering the athletes, isolating them, and training them for a time, there will not be any discipline."
The proposed facility that would be located at Lemna Estate, is designed to be a comprehensive sports hub. It will feature a table tennis hall significantly larger than existing state facilities - capable of housing 12 tables - alongside two fields, a track, and a multi-floor hostel.
Duke, who has been a pivotal figure in the state’s table tennis history since 1987, noted that he is undertaking this as a personal project due to the lack of available space at the UJ Esuene Stadium and the slow pace of government intervention.
"Since 1988, I’ve been totally in charge of table tennis - all their finances, nothing that I don’t take care of," he said, reflecting on his decades-long commitment to the sport. He noted that while Cross River has produced world-class athletes like Offiong Edem (now in the U.S.) and Cecilia Akpan, the state is currently facing a "generation gap" as veteran players retire and younger talents are poached by other states or lured away by more lucrative sports like football.
The Chairman highlighted the staggering costs of maintaining high-level performance. He noted that essential equipment, such as professional-grade rubbers, can cost a minimum of 250,000 Naira per pair, requiring replacement every month.
Beyond equipment, Duke identified the "indigene problem" and the lack of professional security for athletes as a major threat. He cited examples of players being "sold out" to other states that offer temporary incentives during sports festivals but abandon the athletes afterward.
"I can bring up these players, but the state should at least employ them," Duke urged. "They need money to buy soap to wash their kits; they need money to transport themselves to training. That is the gap that the government must step in to fill."
Despite the challenges, the table tennis veteran remains optimistic. With the return of veteran coach Richard George Edem to help train the youth, Duke has set a two-year window to "throw up" the next generation of table tennis stars.
"We are going to be firm. Let the facilities be for those who are willing to play for Cross River State," he affirmed.
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