Nigerian Table tennis star, Funke Oshonaike has spoken on trying times in her life and the game.
Oshonaike, who recalled how she weathered the storm despite the odds, lamented the state of sports in Nigeria.
On her revelation that the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation hasn’t rewarded her despite sacrifices for the country, she told Punch: “Before and after games, there are no allowances because we don’t even get funds before going for competitions. Nigeria has not rewarded us, not to talk of NTTF”.
On another revelation about being sexually abused by a man 10 years older than her while growing up, Oshonaike said she went through a lot with men in Nigeria.
“There was so much temptation. But I’m sorry I can’t say any of these now because I’m planning of writing my autobiography. People will read more untold stories from there. I’ve got a lot to tell about my growing up that will be difficult for some people to believe.”
Oshonaike also commented on how she caught her boyfriend in bed with another girl on the eve of the 2000 Olympics.
“I cried my heart out. I cried all the way from Nigeria to Adelaide for the training tour before heading to Sydney. It was like a dream to me. I was training and nobody saw my aches”, she said.
“I normally cried myself to sleep but God healed me. I don’t keep friends, my fiancé back then was my all here in Germany. So, losing him in Nigeria almost took my life away.
“I even wanted to kill myself! But thank God that my parents were in contact with me every day. I hated Nigeria so much for that and I stopped going there for holidays.
“I ran to the US for holidays but it didn’t change anything. But time they say heals everything. I still think about him sometimes though. He was truly my best friend,” she said.
