Anambra rescues US-based tennis star found wandering

The Anambra State Government, through the state’s Ministry of Women and Social Welfare, has rescued a United States Table Tennis champion, Tania Okpala, who was found wandering the streets.

Okpala was found wandering the streets of Awka, the state capital and was captured in a viral video currently circulating on social media.

The state Commissioner for Women and Social Welfare, Ify Obinabo, was said to have received the directive to rescue and rehabilitate the tennis star from the state governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo and immediately swung into action.

The commissioner’s media aide, Chidimma Ikeanyionwu, confirmed this in a statement on Monday.

The statement read in part, “The Anambra State government has rescued one Ms. Tania Okpala, a US-based tennis champion who was found wandering the streets of the state capital and was captured in a viral video on social media by a good-spirited member of the public.

“Okpala looked distressed and unstable in the said video, prompting the quick response by the state government to rescue, rehabilitate, and reunite her with her family.

“The women’s affairs commissioner received the directive from the governor and his wife and immediately swung into action.

“Interacting with Okpala over the phone, Soludo assured her that the state government would not forsake her and informed her that she would get the best treatment and rehabilitation to enable her to bounce back.

“Soludo further assured her that the state government will ensure her full recovery and re-integration into society.”

While explaining her ordeal, Okpala, who hails from Nkpologwu in Aguata Local Government Area of the Anambra State, said she’s a US-based tennis champion but, due to bad peer influence, became a crack cocaine addict.

She also explained that she had the best education in and outside the country.

Okpala, whose mother was from Belarus, said she lost her mother to cancer a few years ago and ever since has not been able to get over her demise.

According to the US-based tennis champion, she has a six-year-old daughter currently staying with her father in Nkpologwu and urged the governor’s wife to help her reunite with her daughter.