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IBB International Golf and Country Club has unveiled plans for the 2024 edition of Independence Cup, a golf tournament organised annually by the club to celebrate Nigeria’s independence anniversary.
Unveiling the plans at a press conference held at the boardroom of the club on Tuesday, vice captain and chairman of the organising committee, Chief James Eromosele Agbonhese, said the weeklong activity would begin with the caddies and staff competing for trophies and other gifts on Wednesday, while the ladies section will have their turn on Thursday, celebrating past captains and lady captains of the club in a very unique and special way.
Agbonhese speaks further: “On Friday, people from handicap 28 & above for the ladies and handicap 19 & above for the men, veteran and super veterans will take to the course to swing for honour, celebrating Nigeria in style, and on Saturday, ladies handicap 11-27 and men handicap 11- 18 will compete for honours.
“On Sunday, we have a double matchplay between Nigeria, Ghana, Uganda, Cameroon and Rwanda, who are coming to celebrate with us. On Monday, single matchplay between Nigeria, Ghana, Uganda, Cameroon and Rwanda will also take place, while on October 1st, we are going to have the grand finale, with the sports minister and other top government functionaries tee off the Indepence Anniversary tournament at 9 o’clock. And at 6pm on October 1st, we will have the dinner and presentation of prizes.”
According to Agbonhese the competition is specifically designed to celebrate Nigeria and its unity in diversity.
“We have no other country than Nigeria. We must celebrate our country and whatever challenges we are facing today, we will overcome them and Nigeria will be great again.
“Because of what Nigeria has done to all of us in our individual and collective life, we have every reason to celebrate this country. We are hopeful that Nigeria will be great again and that is why the Independence cup tournament is very dear to our heart at the IBB international Golf and country club. We would do everything to showcase our country, unity in diversity and the prospect of our future existence,” Agbonhese said.
The captain of the club, Ibrahim Babayo, said aside from using the tournament to celebrate Nigeria’s Independence anniversary and its brotherhood, the Matchplay with other countries is aimed at promoting and marketing Nigeria at large.
“Apart from celebrating our independence and brotherhood, the relationship with sister countries is developing further because last year we had business dinner, and this year too, we going to have the business dinners where we mixed up with other countries, exchange business ideas and networking in fostering the inter-African trade which we are clamouring for on the continent. sports activity like golf apart from the game itself, is a platform for networking,” Babayo said.
According to Babayo, no fewer than 50 international golfers are set to join Nigeria in celebration of Nigeria Independence in a competitive tournament scheduled to hold Sunday and Monday at the IBB International Golf and Country Club in Abuja respectively.
