For Matthew Kuti, table tennis was never the sport he initially imagined playing.
Growing up, his dream was to become a footballer, but his father’s intervention changed the direction of his sporting journey.
Years later, that decision has taken him to international competitions, earned him continental recognition and given him the opportunity to represent Nigeria at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games.
Kuti’s introduction to table tennis was largely influenced by his father, a coach who was convinced that his son’s future lay in the sport rather than football.
“My father told me, ‘No, no, no, you can’t play football. Table tennis is your way.’ And my father trained me,” he recalled.
Although football was his first love, Kuti embraced his father’s decision and began developing his skills around the table. With consistent training and dedication, his game improved, opening doors to tournaments and opportunities to represent Nigeria.
Looking back, he considers the decision one of the defining moments of his life.
“Table tennis means a lot to me because it has changed my life and changed everything about me. I am very happy that I play table tennis,” he said.
His progress has been rewarded with continental success. Kuti arrived in Dakar as the reigning African Youth Cup champion, carrying considerable expectations as one of Nigeria’s promising young players.
However, the Youth Olympic Games presented a different challenge.
In the men’s singles competition, Kuti began his Group C campaign with a 3-0 defeat to Hong Kong’s Li Ki Ho before responding with an encouraging 3-1 victory over Tunisia’s Youssef Aidli.
The Nigerian won the opening two sets 11-8, lost the third 11-9 but recovered to take the fourth 11-7, keeping his hopes of reaching the knockout stage alive.
His qualification hopes ultimately ended against Italy’s Francesco Travesan. Needing victory to secure progression, Kuti suffered another 3-0 defeat in his final group match and failed to finish among the top two players required to advance.
The defeat brought his singles campaign to an end, alongside compatriot Favour Ojo, who also exited following her third group-stage defeat. Nigeria consequently ended its table tennis campaign without a representative in the medal rounds.
Despite the disappointment, Dakar provided Kuti with another opportunity to measure his development against international opposition.
Representing Nigeria, he understands, comes with a responsibility he does not take lightly.
“There are a lot of players in Nigeria who also want to play for Nigeria, so I am very happy that I am playing for Nigeria. Representing Nigeria is not easy,” he said.
Beyond Dakar: The Dream of Competing at the Highest Level
Kuti’s ambitions extend beyond continental competitions. Having attended several training camps in France, he hopes to continue improving and earn opportunities to compete regularly on the World Table Tennis (WTT) circuit, particularly at the WTT Contender level.
His experience in Dakar, including the setbacks against higher-ranked international opposition, will provide valuable lessons as he continues that pursuit.
For aspiring players, he believes discipline and consistency are indispensable.
“My advice to young players is that they should keep training because discipline is very important. If your coach tells you something, you have to do it,” he explained.
He also emphasised the importance of adequate rest, concentration, proper equipment and maintaining a demanding training routine.
“You have to sleep well when you return to your room. Don’t get involved in too many distractions. You have to focus and train. That is very important,” he added.
For Kuti, the journey is still unfolding. His father may have closed the door on his childhood football dream, but the decision introduced him to a sport that has given him a continental title, international exposure and the privilege of wearing Nigeria’s colours.
Dakar did not deliver the Olympic breakthrough he wanted, but it represents another chapter in the journey of a young player determined to reach the highest level.
Football was his childhood dream. Table tennis became his destiny.
