In the heart of Lagos, inside the iconic Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall at Teslim Balogun Stadium, a new chapter is quietly unfolding in Nigerian sports—a story not just of athletic excellence but of legacy, family, and deep-rooted love for the game.
Mariam Aruna, the 12-year-old daughter of Africa’s table tennis icon, Aruna Quadri, is set to don the green and white jersey for the first time at the 2025 ITTF Africa Youth Championships, which kicks off Sunday, July 27.
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But this isn’t just the story of another young athlete chasing glory—it’s the story of a home where table tennis is more than a sport; it’s a way of life.
Mariam, named in Nigeria’s U-15 girls squad alongside Fatimoh Ahmed, Chinenye Okafor, and Aziza Sezuo, already carries the composure of a seasoned player. Fresh off her debut at the WTT Contender in Lagos—where she stunned Benin’s Amady Stacy with a composed and clinical win—the young Aruna is brimming with promise.
Though she narrowly missed out on the main draw after a tough match against compatriot Abosede Odusanya, Mariam’s display hinted at a bright future ahead.
Her secret weapon? Her mother—and coach—Ganiyat Aruna, a former table tennis player herself, who now trains the next generation of Arunas with discipline and heart.
Ganiyat’s dual role as mother and mentor forms the backbone of a home where ping-pong paddles and family dinners coexist in beautiful harmony.
“Table tennis runs in our blood,” Ganiyat says with quiet pride. “We’re not just training athletes; we’re building character and a family legacy.”
The Aruna story goes beyond Mariam. Earlier this year in Portugal at the João Monteiro Table Tennis Tournament, the family made headlines as all three children stood on the podium.
Mariam clinched second in the U-15 category, her younger brother Aruna Junior came second in the U-11 division, and the youngest, Amirah Aruna, took third in her first-ever competitive outing.
That moment, Ganiyat recalls, brought tears to her eyes. “To see all three of them excel, it felt like a dream coming true in real time.”
While Aruna Quadri continues to inspire millions across the globe with his achievements, it’s within the four walls of his home that perhaps his most meaningful victories are being shaped.
With Ganiyat as the guiding force and their children already forging their own paths, the Arunas are not just a family—they are Nigeria’s first table tennis dynasty in the making.
As the African Youth Championships draw near, Mariam and her siblings aren’t just playing for medals.
They’re playing for something bigger: a dream started by their father, nurtured by their mother, and carried forward—one paddle swing at a time.
From a humble home to the world stage, the Aruna family is raising not just champions, but a legacy.
