Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja
The Director General, National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Otunba Olusegun Runsewe has showered encomiums on the Professional Golfers of Association of Nigeria (PGAN) for showing commitment to the development of golf in Nigeria.
Runsewe, who is a member of the Nigeria Golf Federation (NGF), said the 50 years of PGAN have been of immense blessing to Nigeria.
PGAN celebrated its Hall of Fame in Lagos at the weekend to commemorate the 50thanniversary.
The NCAC boss described the future of golf in Nigeria as bright, noting that talented young professional golfers are emerging from all over the country.
“The 50 years of PGA have been very fruitful. Only recently, they received the international body that came to interact with them and see how they can develop golf and make the game better in Nigeria.
“For me, PGA is in the right direction by coordinating and networking with other part of the world in development of golf and I wish them well,” Runsewe said
He urged both the government and the organised private sector to invest in the sustainable growth of Nigerian golfers, saying there is a lot to benefit from the game of golf.
“I believe this 50th anniversary will be a landmark of development of golf in the country. We must all remember that by the year 2020, $6billion will be roving round golf in the history of the world.
“There is need for Nigeria to benefit from that money and we must move very fast to pocket some chunk of that money. Americans, British, Germans and others have taken some chunk of the billion dollars and Nigeria must take her share by investing in sustainable growth of our golfers.
“If you notice, I have started playing golf with local fabric and that is the beginning of taking some chunk of the money back home. A lot of golfers in Nigeria are now keying into the idea and have started seeing vision in it. Why should we spend all our money importing and what do we export to the rest of the world?”
The PGAN was established in 1969. It is the only body in Nigeria that promotes and manages professional golf in the country with a good working relationship with Nigeria Golf Federation (NGF).
