Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja
Financial engineering and legal advisory company, 3e Actuaries has unfolded plans for the inaugural edition of Ibadan Mesiogo Golf Championships.
The professional tournament, themed ‘Beyond Golf in Ibadan’, is scheduled to hold between October 4 and 8 at the Ibadan Golf Club.
It has a prize tag of N10 million and will parade top professional golfers from Nigeria, Africa and the rest of the world.
The top ranked golfers from the event will qualify for the 5th edition of the coveted 3e Actuaries Equatorial Guinea Open in Mongomo, Equatorial Guinea between December 13 and 16.
The Ibadan Mesiogo Open is one of the international qualifying tournaments billed for Sao Paulo, Dubai, Harare, Cape Town and Los Angeles, leading to Mongomo with a crop of 50 professional golfers, drawn from over 30 nations, including Nigeria, battling for $250,000.
The CEO of 3e Actuaries, Olawale Opayinka, said the event was conceived to use golf to celebrate Ibadan and restore the historic city as an economic hub.
“Golf attracts decision makers, chief executives of multinationals, high net worth individuals and local and international investors. Staging the Mesiogo Open and IMEGA (Ibadan Mega Awards) week will help to put the city in world-view and bring these people to witness the progress that we have made and our readiness to be an economic hub again. Ultimately, Ibadan and by default the whole of Nigeria will benefit,” Opayinka said.
Amateur players will also be drawn to the tournament on October 8. All amateur golfers in Nigeria that wish to participate are eligible. The maximum handicap for participants is 20 for Men and 28 for ladies.
The IMEGA Awards will honour eminent Nigerians and those who have contributed to the development of the game of Golf. The awards will include IMEGA Lifetime Achievement Award, Ibadan Mesiogo Heritage Award, Legacy Award for sports, Best Golf course in Nigeria, Best Nigerian under 18 Young Golfer (male and female) among others.
The IMEGA Awards 2017 will also give awards to leading sportsmen across about 30 sports under the administration of the Oyo State Sports Council. The awards hold the University of Ibadan International Conference Centre on October 7 with a gala night.
