Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja
The Defence Headquarters has collaborated with the Nigerian Golf Federation (NGF) in organising the 2023 Armed Forces and Remembrance Day Golf Tournament.
The tournament was played between January 12 and 13 at the TYB Golf and Country Club, Mambilla Barracks, Abuja.
The Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, who was represented by the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Isiaka Oladayo Amao, performed the ceremonial tee off.
The tournament entry list was made up of over 250 golfers including professionals, amateur players, ladies, chief executive officers and members of the security organisations.
The CAS noted that the tournament was important to the Armed Forces as it afforded the military the chance to remember its fallen heroes that paid the supreme prize as well as those who are still alive and contributed to making the country safer.
“The essence of the kitty is to also be able to generate small funds for those that are still living to assist them and also tell the nation that in as much as we are fighting war, we also keep fit in the course of fighting war,” Amao said.
He lauded the involvement of NGF which is the body in charge of golf in the country for staging the maiden Armed Forces and Remembrance Day Golf kitty.
On his part the NGF President, Otunba Olusegun Runsewe, thanked the Chief of Defence Staff for approving the partnership which he said will help foster harmonious civilian-military relationship.
Runsewe, who is also the DG National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), noted that the golf federation had succeeded in using the kitty to bring new innovations in how tournaments are organised in the country.
He said every player was given his breakfast and lunch ticket, which effectively curbed scrabbling for food while in line with the international best practices, marshals were branded on the golf course.
He lauded the partnership with the Chief of Defence Staff, saying it will open up a new strategy of empowering Nigerians, particularly the professionals.
“It is an occasion to open up a new strategy of empowering Nigerians. If we get four more CDS strategies for this type of brand the entire Nigerian golfing community will be busy throughout the year. That is how they do it abroad. The NGF wants to make the difference this time,” Runsewe concluded.
